Abstract: The effects of NaCl salt stress on seed germination of were studied by using the seeds of five species of compositaes, such as Calendula officinalis L.,Coreopsis drummondii Torr. et Gray,Rudbeckia hirta L.,Gaillardia pulchella Foug. and Leucanthemum maximum （Ramood） DC. The results showed that the relative germination rate, relative germination potential and relative germination index of five chrysanthemum plants were significant negatively correlated with NaCl concentration. The high NaCl environmental concentration inhibited and even poisoned the germination of five species of chrysanthemum. Different species have different tolerance to salt in compositaes. The tolerance of the Gaillardia pulchella Foug. was the weakest, and the germination rate was 0 at 0.5% NaCl concentration.The NaCl concentration of 0.5% had a significant inhibitory effect on the germination of five kinds of compositaes. In production, 0.5% can be used as the concentration limit value of soil NaCl environmental solution for the germination of these plant seeds. All five species of chrysanthemum plants have certain salt-resistant nature. They can properly accept the lower NaCl concentration environment of 0.10%~0.20%, of which 0.1% of the NaCl concentration also plays a role in promoting seed germination of the Gaillardia pulchella Foug.

Key words: salt stress, compositaes, seed germination