Effects of irrigation water salinity and salicylic acid on germination and vigor of Mesosphaerum suaveolens (L.) Kuntze

Salinity is one of the factors that negatively impact plant growth and productivity; therefore, it is necessary to seek solutions that help mitigate the degenerative action of saline stress on crops. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of salicylic acid (SA) on the germination and vigor of Mesosphaerum suaveolens (L.) Kuntze seeds subjected to salinity. The experiment was carried out using a completely randomized design, in an incomplete 5 × 5 factorial scheme, with five levels of electrical conductivity of irrigation water (ECw - 0.0, 1.45, 5.00, 8.55, and 10.00 dS m-1) and five doses of SA (0.0, 0.29, 1.00, 1.71, and 2.00 mM), with four replications of 50 seeds, totaling nine combinations generated via a central composite design. The germination percentage, first germination count, germination speed index, average germination time, percentage of abnormal seedlings, shoot, root, and seedling lengths, and total seedling dry mass were evaluated. Salicylic acid attenuated the effect of saline stress on initial growth, mitigating damage to root and shoot lengths. Seed priming with salicylic acid improved germination and seed vigor.