Assessment of Water Quality Effects on Germination and Seedling Development of Triticum aestivum, Hordeum vulgare, Coriandrum sativum, and Raphanus sativus

Germination takes place when seeds break their dormancy due to favorable environmental conditions. Seedlings sprout from the embryo when they have enough water, temperature, oxygen, and all the factors required for germination. Water chemical composition also affects the germination rate and growth of plants. A pot experiment was conducted to check the effect of different water qualities on seed germination and seedling growth of some crops (Triticum aestivum and Hordeum vulgare) and vegetables (Coriandrum sativum and Raphanus sativus) seeds. Seven water samples i.e. domestic wastewater, mineral water, tap water, tube well water, and three types of salt compositions such as 1, 2, and 3% were used for irrigation. Analysis of variance showed a highly significant result for the growth of plants in all water samples. Low salinity concentrations do not affect germination rate while high salinity concentrations inhibit growth and germination. It was concluded that all water qualities are suitable for germination, wastewater can be used as an inexpensive fertilizer, and salt resistance varieties should be used in saline areas to keep the survival of that species.