The impact of growth regulators on Sesuvium verrucosum seedling germination and growth in saline environments

This study investigated the effects of gibberellic acid (GA₃), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), salicylic acid (SA), and kinetin (KIN) on the germination and seedling growth of Sesuvium verrucosum Raf. under saline stress (4.5 and 8.7 dS m⁻¹). Seeds were pretreated with hormonal solutions (5, 10, and 15 mg L⁻¹) for 24 h before saline exposure. Among the tested regulators, SA was the most effective, significantly enhancing germination and seedling development, followed by KIN, GA₃, and IBA. The optimal concentration across all treatments was 15 mg L⁻¹, under both moderate (4.5 dS m⁻¹) and high (8.7 dS m⁻¹) salinity. However, at higher salinity (8.7 dS m⁻¹), the effectiveness of all regulators declined, irrespective of concentration. These findings suggest that seed priming with SA, KIN, GA₃, or IBA is a viable chemical strategy to improve germination, emergence, and establishment of S. verrucosum in saline environments. This approach not only enhances seedling adaptation to stress but also accelerates early growth stages.