Germination responses of Medicago ruthenica seeds to salinity, alkalinity, and temperature

To determine the effects of and the interactions between salinity and temperature, and alkalinity and temperature, we conducted three germination tests of Medicago ruthenica (L.) Sojak cv. ‘Zhilixing’ seeds in growth chambers. In experiment 1, the seeds were placed at a range of temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, or 40 °C), and in experiments 2 and 3, we varied the salinity (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, or 250 mM NaCl) and alkalinity (1, 5, 10, 15, 20, or 25 mM Na2CO3), respectively, within three ranges of alternating temperatures (10–20, 15–25, and 20–30 °C). The seeds of M. ruthenica (L.) Sojak cv. ‘Zhilixing’ showed high percentage germination at all temperatures, except for 5 °C. Seeds germinated well at low NaCl and Na2CO3 concentrations under all three alternating temperature regimes. Approximately half the seeds germinated at high salinity and alkalinity at 15–25 °C, whereas the ungerminated seeds germinated when the high-saline and alkaline stresses were removed. These results suggest that M. ruthenica (L.) Sojak cv. ‘Zhilixing’ has potential utility as a forage legume in saline and alkaline environments.