Abstract: The indexes of germination, growth, vigor and physiology of E.angustifolia L. and C.korshinskii Kom. during germination were observed. The correlation and regression analyses were done between the indexes of germination, growth and vigor and salinity, through which the critical concentrations of E.angustifolia L. and C.korshinskii Kom. during germination were gotten. And the correlation analyses were done between physiological indexes and salinity, physiological indexes and corresponding germination and growth indexes respectively, which threw a light on the germination and growth responses of E.angustifolia L. and C.korshinskii Kom. to salt stress at the physiological level. The results were gotten as follow: (1)Radicle hydration percentage had no correlation with salinity, while initial germination time, dormancy and death were positively correlated with salinity, and all the other indexes were negatively correlated with salinity; (2)Radicle hydration percentage had no correlation with early growth of germinated seeds, while dormancy and death were negatively correlated with germination and all the other physiological indexes were positively correlated with growth; (3)Among the three aspects of germination, germination velocity was most inhibited by salinity, while germination percentage was lest, and germination initiation was in-between. And early growth was more sensible to salinity than germination percentage, moreover, radicle growth was more inhibited than hypocotyl growth; (4)E.angustifolia L. was more tolerant to NaCl stress than C.korshinskii Kom., and the critical concentrations of both species were higher than 0.1 mol·L^-1 during germination.

Key words: Elaeagnus angustifolia L., Caragana korshinskii Kom., salt stress, germination, critical concentration