Establishment of range plants under saline conditions found on a saltmeadow

Germination rate and percentage are reduced by saline or drought-induced water stress. This increases the time the soil surface must remain moist. Rapid germination, emergence, and root growth should improve seedling establishment on saline semi-arid grasslands by reducing the effect of surface drying of the soil. Previous studies show that both osmotically conditioned and pregerminated seed emerge faster than untreated seed.;Two 2-year field studies compared cultural practices for establishing pregerminated 'Vinall' Russian wildrye seed under dryland conditions to ungerminated conventionally planted seed. Emergence and survival was determined in 1989 on pregerminated seed with gel and ungerminated seed with and without gel planted in wet soil at 3 slot depths and 3 planting dates. Half of the seed in each slot were covered with 1.3 cm of soil. In 1990 emergence and survival was determined on pregerminated and ungerminated seed with and without gel in wet soil at 2 slot depths and 2 planting dates and covered with 1.3 cm of soil.;In general, osmotic conditioning increased germination rate and pregerminating seed prior to planting increased rate of emergence over untreated seed in the growth chamber and greenhouse, respectively. Emergence rate of pregerminated seed in the greenhouse was most noticeable under saline and low moisture conditions. However, field studies indicated that the initial advantage of rapid emergence may not persist past the first year.;A growth chamber study evaluated germination and root growth of osmotically conditioned cool season grasses; 'Nordan' crested wheatgrass (Agropyron desertorum (L.) Gaertn.), 'Flintlock' western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) A. Love), 'Vinall' Russian wildrye (Psathyrostachys juncea (Fischer) Nevski), and 'Tegmar' intermediate wheatgrass (Agropyron intermedium (Host) Beauv.). Greenhouse studies determined salinity and moisture effects on root and shoot growth of pregerminated 'Nordan' crested wheatgrass, 'Flintlock' western wheatgrass, and 'Vinall' Russian wildrye.