Abstract: Developing high quality legumes with saline and alkaline tolerance is a key to improving the low protein content of forage and to select forage adapted to the low salinization and alkalinization habitats of the Songnen region. Seed germination and seedling growth are crucial stages in the life history of a plant and determine its subsequent growth potential. The effects of salt stress on germination and seedling growth of Medicago falcata, were compared in two cultivars of M. sativa (CW₄₀₀ and Gongnong No.2). Seeds were germinated under conditions of 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, and 200 mmol/L NaCl and percentage seed germination, germination index, seedling growth, and proline, Na⁺, and K⁺ contents of three materials were measured. Germination percentage and index of all three materials were suppressed to different extents as salt concentration increased with the suppression more obvious in higher salt concentrations. By comparison with two cultivars of CW₄₀₀ and Gongnong No.2, M. falcata had significantly lower germination percentage and index, but growth of the radicle was not affected by the salt solution and there were no significant differences between the treatments and the control. The recovery test showed that seeds of the three materials could remain viabile in salt solutions. The total germination of M. falcata and CW₄₀₀ reached 100% in 60 mmol/L NaCl, but only the total germination of M. falcata reached above 90% in all the solutions and it had the highest recovery percentage although there were no significant differences between treatments. As an osmotic regulator, proline quickly accumulated in M. falcata seedlings. The proline content of M. falcate, M. sativa CW₄₀₀ and Gongnong No.2, in 100 mmol/L were 3.1, 2.3 and 1.4 times respectively that of the control. In conclusion salt tolerance of M. falcata was stronger than that of M. sativa, and M. falcate and it is thus more applicable for growth in Songnen grasslands.