evaporated water was replenished at 8:00 a.m. and 20:00 p.m. respectively, each day according to the mark of water layer position on external Petri dishes, and solutions were renewed every three days. The dishes of each treatment were placed in dark incubator at (28±1)°C. After five days, the day/night temperature was (28±1)°C/(20±1)°C, and the photoperiod was 12 h/12 h, the light intensity was about 4 000 Lx. A seed was considered as germinated when the radicle length was half the length of seed. Germination was counted on the 3rd day and the 7th day after seed soaking, while the activity of amylase was determined on the 3rd day and the amylase isoenzyme of presoaking with 30 mmol • L-1 proline was assayed during the imbibi- tions and germination stage. All the treatments were as follows: soaking with distilled water+ non salt stress (CK); soaking with distilled water+100 mmol • L-1 NaCl (T0); soaking with 5 mmol • L-1 proline+ 100 mmol • L-1 NaCl (T1); soaking with 15 mmol • L-1 proline +100 mmol • L-1 NaCl (T2); soaking with 30 mmol•L-1 proline+100 mmol•L-1 NaCl (T3); soaking with 45 mmol•L-1 proline +100 mmol•L-1 NaCl (