Population differentiation in the germination characteristics of Suaeda aegyptiacafrom Saudi Arabia

摘要

Suaeda aegyptiaca is an annual, halophytic, C4 weed that is widely distributed in Saudi Arabia. It grows in different habitats, including coastal areas and inland Sabkha, and as a ruderal and agricultural weed (Al-Turki 1992). Its distribution encompasses a wide range of climate, from arid, continental conditions with seasonal extremes of temperature to equable coastal areas with more rainfall. We tested the hypothesis that the germination behavior of different populations would be different in response to environmental condition of their original places.