Abstract

As typical arid vegetation, Calycotome villosa is an annual herb playing an important role in folk medicine. In this research, the influences of temperature and salinity on germination of C. villosa seeds gotten from southern Tunisia were investigated. The germination responses of the seeds in total darkness were determined over an extensive array of temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40°C) as well as salinities (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 mM NaCl). Seeds of C. villosa were able to germinate at temperatures between 5 and 40°C. Temperatures between 20 and 25°C seemed favorable to germinate these species. The minimum temperature beyond which no germination is expected was 0°C. Utmost germination percent were gotten in non-saline situations as well as arise in NaCl absorptions  increasing  repressed germination of seed. The rate of growth reduced with arises in salinity on all temperatures. Salt stress decreased both the percentage and the rate of germination. Percent of germination reduced with growing salinity and sternly restricted at 250 and 300 mM. Findings from this research might function as valuable information for C. villosa habitat establishment and renovation plans.

Key words: Calycotome villosa, germination, salinity, temperature, Tunisia.