Abstract: This study aims to clarify the effects of saline water on maize germination and provide technical support for the rational utilization of saline water resources for agricultural irrigation. With the grain and silage maize as test materials, different mineralization（0, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 g/L）saline water treatments were set in germination experiment, and different mineralization（0, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 g/L）saline water treatments were set in pot experiment to determine the responses of seed germination and plant growth to saline water. The results showed that no significant restriction was detected on seed germination under low mineralization（2-5 g/L）saline water treatments. High mineralization saline water delayed the germination process of ‘Jingnongke 728’, and obviously inhibited germination rate of ‘Jingnongke 728’ and ‘Jinling 327’. 2 g/L saline water irrigation had a lower inhibitory effect on the height, stem diameter, leaf length, leaf width and leaf area of maize plants, but the fresh and dry weight of ‘Jinling 327’ significantly decreased by 38.92% and 44.05%, respectively. Under the irrigation of low mineralization saline water, the leaf angle decreased, but SPAD value increased, and the opposite trend was detected under high mineralization saline water irrigation. When the mineralization of saline water higher than 3 g/L, the fresh and dry weight of ‘Jingnongke 728’ decreased by 35.90%-80.09% and 28.98%-71.50%, the fresh and dry weight of ‘Jinling 327’ decreased by 31.56%-86.32% and 56.30%- 84.31%. Comprehensive analysis showed that the salt tolerance threshold of seed germination was 0-6 g/L, and the safety threshold of saline water irrigation was less than 3 g/L.

Key words: maize, mineralization, saline water, germination, salt tolerance threshold