Abstract: Suaeda aralocaspica,an annual halophyte growing in the deserts in Central Asia,produces two distinct types of seeds that differ in shape,color,dormancy and germination. Brown and black seeds of S.aralocaspica have different salt tolerance during germination.However,there was no significant difference in salt tolerance of S.aralocaspica plants grown from dimorphic seeds at late growth stage.The possibility that plants grown from dimorphic seeds at middle growth stage may differ in salt tolerance was not investigated previously.Experiments were designed to investigate the growth and mineral nutrient concentrations of plants grown from dimorphic seeds of S.aralocaspica under different salinity levels.There was no significant difference between plants grown from dimorphic seeds with respect to growth and most physiological parameters.Low to medium salinity promotes the plant growth,but high salinity inhibits the plant growth.The biomass of S.aralocaspica plants growing under medium salinity was the highest.Concentrations of Na⁺ and Cl^- were increased with the increase of supplied salinity.This indicated that S.aralocaspica plants require a certain amount of salinity to maintain osmotic homeostasis.In conclusion,the salt tolerance of the plants grown from dimorphic seeds of S.aralocaspica at middle growth stage was similar.The carry-over of differential salt tolerance in plants grown from dimorphic seeds may display at the early stage of plant growth.

Key words: salinity, seed heteromorphism, Suaeda aralocaspica, biomass, mineral element