EFFECTS OF SALINITY ON THE GERMINATION AND EARLY GROWTH OF EUCALYPTUS

This study investigated the effects of salinity on the germination and early growth of Eucalyptus camaldulensis. The experiment was conducted at Kashim Ibrahim University using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four salinity treatments: 0.0% (control), 0.50%, 0.100%, and 0.150% NaCl concentrations. Each treatment was replicated three times. Germination percentage, seedling height, number of leaves, root length, and fresh and dry biomass were measured over a four-week period. Data collected were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and means were separated using the Least Significant Difference (LSD) at 5% probability level. Results showed that increasing salinity significantly reduced germination percentage, seedling height, root length, leaf number, and biomass accumulation. The control treatment (0.0%) recorded the highest growth performance, while the highest salinity concentration (0.50%) resulted in the lowest growth parameters. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed among treatments, indicating that salinity adversely affects the early growth stages of Eucalyptus camaldulensis. The study concluded that although Eucalyptus camaldulensis exhibits moderate tolerance to low salinity levels, high salt concentrations significantly impair germination and seedling development. It is recommended that the species be cultivated in areas with low to moderate salinity and that appropriate soil management practices be adopted in saline-prone environments.