Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare www.iiste.org ISSN 2224-3208 (Paper) ISSN 2225-093X (Online) Vol.4, No.11, 2014 64 Effect of Salinity on Cotton Seed Germination and Seedling Survival Ahmad Saad (Corresponding author) Dept. of Plant breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan E-mail: Ahmaduaf@gmail.com Muhammad Sajjad Nazir Dept. of Plant breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan E-mail: Sajjadbravo@gmail.com Sohaib Tariq Dept. of Agronomy, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan Waqas Ahmad Dept. of Plant breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan Abstract Salinity is a major threat in Pakistan due to use of low quality water. Present study was conducted to evaluate MNH-886 at different salinity levels by using 3 different experiment. In first experiment seed of MNH-886 was grown in Petri dishes and data of germination was taken by applying 23 NaCl treatments from 0-1300 mM. Results showed that germination is get hampered by high salt concentration. Even at the concentration of 100 mM it lowered to 80% and become zero at 700 mM NaCl solution. In second and third experiment seedling survival was tested in MS media and hydroponic. From both of these experiment it was found that survival rate decrease greatly with increase in salt concentration. On the basis of hydroponic results it is assumed that MNH- 886 is not good performer under salinity stress Keywords: MNH-886, Germination, survival, hydroponic media Introduction Pakistan is an agriculture state and cotton is not only important for farmers but also consider the back bone of national economy (Tuttle et al., 2008; Iqbal et al.,2011; Shah et al., 2011). At the moment in Pakistan cotton production is threaten by low seed germination and weak seedling emergence which leads to death of plants at early stage especially under salinity conditions. Commonly cotton is consider as salt-tolerant crops and help in reclamation of saline soils (Maas, 1990), But its germination growth and yield negatively affected by high accumulation of salt grow excessive salts in the soil (Higbie et al., 2010; Qadir and Shams, 1997). In Pakistan irrigated agricultural areas has greatly threatened by salt accumulation in soils due to the poor irrigation management especially by use of tube-well water. With the increasing population and limited land resources and water, it is requirement of time that we use salt effected and marginal lands to increase production. (Jones, 1981). Generally cotton plants are more prone to salinity during seed germination and seedling development stage (Hoffman and Shannon, 1986). Due to large variability in soil salinity and high cost it is difficult to study salt effect on seedling development (Ibrahim, 2003). To overcome these problems nutrient media may also be used to study different genotypes at desired salinity level. This technique is more reliable and realistic. The present study was conducted to check the salinity effect on cotton germination and it seedling growth sown in solid media and nutrient media hydroponics by following the the same procedure as by Sattar et al., 2010. Material and Method Delinting of cotton: seed Of MNH 886 was delinted by using H 2 SO 4 at the rate of 100 ml/kg as recommended by government ministry of agriculture Pakistan. For the acid is added in a container having seed and stirred continuously, after 5 minutes seed is removed and wash three time checking the pH by litmus paper. Only sinker seed was used and the seed floated on water surface was removed. Germination of seed: Fifty delinted cotton seed was taken and placed between two layers of whatman No.1 filter paperused as seedbed and covered by another layer of filter paper in petri dish with 23 treatments and 1 control, applied to these petri with 3 replication of each treatment in CRD. Twenty three treatments of NaCl solution was 50,100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1100, 1200 and 1300 mM. Twenty ml solution of each concentration was added to each patri dish of particular treatment. These petri dishes was placed in an incubator at 32 C. After 4 days number of seed germinated was counted and analyzed. Seed was considered as germinated when radicle had emerged more than 2 mm.