Influence of Salinity on Germination, Growth and Nitrogen Uptake by Two Casuarina Species

Germination of Casuarina equisetifolia and C. glauca was delayed and reduced with increasing-salinity stress. C. equisetifolia germinated up to EC 10.0 and C. glauca up to EC5.0dS m⁻¹. C. equisetifolia did not show significant differences in shoot yield amongst normal soil, ECe 4.8 and 9.2 dS m⁻¹. whereas C. glauca showed significant increase in shoot yield at ECe 4.8 and 9.2 dS m⁻¹ respe.ctively, over normal soil. C. equisetifolia showed lower nitrogen concentration (%) than C. glauca. The growth, yield and nitrogen uptake by casuarina species were reduced significantly at ECe 23.1 dS m⁻¹. The total yield of C. glauca increased at lower levels of salinity over normal soil, which shows its preference for the salt affected soils, though it was more sensitive at germination.