The effects of growth medium and partial shade on early growth of milkweed (Calotropis procera L.) under drought stress

Mansour Taghvaei,Mojtaba Dolat Kordestani 한국생태학회 2012 Journal of Ecology and Environment Vol.35 No.4

The use of growth medium is often recommended milkweed seedlings to grow and develop after emergence, and it is affected by growth medium and local habitat conditions. The effects of growth medium and partial shade on early growth of milkweed under drought stress (Calotropis procera L.) were studied in a field experiment. A split-split plot experimental design with three replications was carried out in the nursery. The main treatment plot was divided into two levels of shade; (no shading and partial shading). Sub treatment plot1 included growth medium at four levels (G1 = clay [suitable for milkweed growth], G2 = clay + sand, G3 = clay + perlite, G4 = clay + perlite + sand) and sub treatment plot2 included drought (irrigation intervals) at six levels (D1 = 2 [control], D2 = 4, D3 = 6, D4 = 8, D5 = 10, and D6 = 12 days per for three month). The results showed that drought stress significantly decreased emergence percentage, shoot length, shoot dry weight (SDW1), root dry weight (RDW), seedling dry weight (SDW2) and vigor index (VI). The use of growth medium increased all seedling characteristics. The G3 (clay + perlite) growth medium showed the highest performance, especially in terms of emergence percentage and seedling dry weight. Partial shade improved shoot length, shoot dry weight, and vigor index. Our results showed that the best treatment for high-vigor milkweed seedlings under drought stress was G3(clay + perlite) growth medium and partial shade.

The impact of cardinal temperature variation on the germination of Haloxylon aphyllum L. seeds

Mansour Taghvaei,Masoumaeh Ghaedi 한국생태학회 2010 Journal of Ecology and Environment Vol.33 No.3

Seed germination is a biological process that is affected by a variety of genetic and environmental factors. The cardinal temperature and thermal time are required for germination. The principal objective of this study was to identify and characterize variations in the base, optimum, and maximum germination temperatures of Haloxylon aphyllum L. from two seed sources, in order to establish models for use in predicting seeding dates. Mature H. aphyllum seeds were germinated at temperatures between 5 and 35℃. The germination behavior of H. aphyllum seeds to different temperature regimens in light was evaluated over a temperature range of 5-35℃ at intervals of 5℃. The rate of germination increased between base and optimum thermal conditions, and decreased between optimum and maximum thermal conditions;the germination rate varied in a linear fashion at both sub-optimal and supra-optimal temperatures. The linear regression fit the range of germination rates at 5℃ to 25℃ and 25℃ to 30℃, and thus the base temperature, optimum temperature,and maximum temperature for the germination of H. aphyllum were measured to be 0.6℃, 25.69℃, 37.90℃, and 1.76℃, 21.56℃, 37.90℃ for Qom and the Fars dune desert respectively.

The effects of salt stress and prime on germination improvement and seedling growth of Calotropis procera L. seeds

Mansour Taghvaei,Nazila Khaef,Hossein Sadeghi 한국생태학회 2012 Journal of Ecology and Environment Vol.35 No.2

Calotropis procera L. is a perennial shrub distributed in saline areas of deserts of South Asia. Salt stress is a very challenging subject in arid and semi-arid areas. Germination stage is very sensitive and many plants do not germinate in saline soil. The objective of this study was identifying the salinity effect on seed germination of Calotropis procera L. The experimental design was a complete randomized block design with NaCl and CaCl2 at five levels of isobar concentrations:0.0, -0.01, -0.05, -0.1, and -0.15 MPa. Osmotic potential had significant effects (P < 0.01) on germination percentage,germination rate, shoot length, root length, and seedling dry weight. All seedling characteristics decreased with decrease in osmotic potential. Shoot length and root length decreased more than the seedling characteristics. Germination was completely inhibited in -0.1 Mpa. Priming with NaCl and CaCl2 (-0.1 MPa) for four days had significant effects (P < 0.01)on the germination percentages. Priming improved the seedling characteristics in all samples, especially in -0.05 Mpa,but a decrease with decrease in osmotic potential.

Effects of seed sources and shade on vigor of Brant's oak seedling

Taghvaei, Mansour The Ecological Society of Korea 2010 Journal of Ecology and Environment Vol.33 No.4

The use of local seed provenance is often recommended in forest restoration. Early vigor is a combination of the performance of seed germination and emergence after planting. The ability of young Brant's oak plants to grow and develop after emergence and its dependence on local habitat conditions was investigated in this study. The effects of seed source and shade on early growing seedlings of Brant's oak (Quercus brantii L.) were determined in field measurements. Seeds of Quercus brantii L. were collected from 4 forest areas (seed sources) in southern Zagros (Provinces of Kohkilouyeh-Bouyer Ahmad and Fars) at altitudes of 850, 1,100, 1,500, 2,100 m a.s.l., and planted in a nursery constructed in southwestern Iran. According to a split-plot design consisting of four blocks, each containing two main treatment plots (no shading, partial shading), each main plot was sub-divided into four sub-plots (for elevations of 850, 1,100, 1,500 and 2,100 m). Results showed that shade treatments had significant effects on emergence percentage and rate, shoot length, shoot dry weight (SDW), root dry weight (RDW), leaf area (LA), and chlorophyll content. Ecological factors also had an effect on seed performance. Altitude of seed source had a very significant effect on root length, LA, SDW, and RDW. The seeds collected from 850 m a.s.l. elevation showed the highest performance, especially in leaf area, root length, shoot dry weight, and root dry weight. Our results showed that the altitude of 850 m a.s.l. was the best for collecting Brant's oak seeds.

Effects of seed sources and shade on vigor of Brant's oak seedling

Mansour Taghvaei 한국생태학회 2010 Journal of Ecology and Environment Vol.33 No.4

The use of local seed provenance is often recommended in forest restoration. Early vigor is a combination of the performance of seed germination and emergence after planting. The ability of young Brant's oak plants to grow and develop after emergence and its dependence on local habitat conditions was investigated in this study. The effects of seed source and shade on early growing seedlings of Brant's oak (Quercus brantii L.) were determined in field measurements. Seeds of Quercus brantii L. were collected from 4 forest areas (seed sources) in southern Zagros (Provinces of Kohkilouyeh-Bouyer Ahmad and Fars) at altitudes of 850, 1,100, 1,500, 2,100 m a.s.l., and planted in a nursery constructed in southwestern Iran. According to a split-plot design consisting of four blocks, each containing two main treatment plots (no shading, partial shading), each main plot was sub-divided into four sub-plots (for elevations of 850, 1,100, 1,500 and 2,100 m). Results showed that shade treatments had significant effects on emergence percentage and rate, shoot length,shoot dry weight (SDW), root dry weight (RDW), leaf area (LA), and chlorophyll content. Ecological factors also had an effect on seed performance. Altitude of seed source had a very significant effect on root length, LA, SDW, and RDW. The seeds collected from 850 m a.s.l. elevation showed the highest performance, especially in leaf area, root length, shoot dry weight, and root dry weight. Our results showed that the altitude of 850 m a.s.l. was the best for collecting Brant's oak seeds.

The effects of salt stress and prime on germination improvement and seedling growth of Calotropis procera L. seeds

Taghvaei, Mansour,Khaef, Nazila,Sadeghi, Hossein The Ecological Society of Korea 2012 Journal of Ecology and Environment Vol.35 No.2

$Calotropis$ $procera$ L. is a perennial shrub distributed in saline areas of deserts of South Asia. Salt stress is a very challenging subject in arid and semi-arid areas. Germination stage is very sensitive and many plants do not germinate in saline soil. The objective of this study was identifying the salinity effect on seed germination of $Calotropis$ $procera$ L. The experimental design was a complete randomized block design with NaCl and $CaCl_2$ at five levels of isobar concentrations: 0.0, -0.01, -0.05, -0.1, and -0.15 MPa. Osmotic potential had significant effects ($P$ < 0.01) on germination percentage, germination rate, shoot length, root length, and seedling dry weight. All seedling characteristics decreased with decrease in osmotic potential. Shoot length and root length decreased more than the seedling characteristics. Germination was completely inhibited in -0.1 Mpa. Priming with NaCl and $CaCl_2$ (-0.1 MPa) for four days had significant effects ($P$ < 0.01) on the germination percentages. Priming improved the seedling characteristics in all samples, especially in -0.05 Mpa, but a decrease with decrease in osmotic potential.

The impact of cardinal temperature variation on the germination of Haloxylon aphyllum L. seeds

Taghvaei, Mansour,Ghaedi, Masoumaeh The Ecological Society of Korea 2010 Journal of Ecology and Environment Vol.33 No.3

Seed germination is a biological process that is affected by a variety of genetic and environmental factors. The cardinal temperature and thermal time are required for germination. The principal objective of this study was to identify and characterize variations in the base, optimum, and maximum germination temperatures of Haloxylon aphyllum L. from two seed sources, in order to establish models for use in predicting seeding dates. Mature H. aphyllum seeds were germinated at temperatures between 5 and $35^{\circ}C$. The germination behavior of H. aphyllum seeds to different temperature regimens in light was evaluated over a temperature range of $5-35^{\circ}C$ at intervals of $5^{\circ}C$. The rate of germination increased between base and optimum thermal conditions, and decreased between optimum and maximum thermal conditions; the germination rate varied in a linear fashion at both sub-optimal and supra-optimal temperatures. The linear regression fit the range of germination rates at $5^{\circ}C$ to $25^{\circ}C$ and $25^{\circ}C$ to $30^{\circ}C$, and thus the base temperature, optimum temperature, and maximum temperature for the germination of H. aphyllum were measured to be $0.6^{\circ}C$, $25.69^{\circ}C$, $37.90^{\circ}C$, and $1.76^{\circ}C$, $21.56^{\circ}C$, $37.90^{\circ}C$ for Qom and the Fars dune desert respectively.

The effects of growth medium and partial shade on early growth of milkweed (Calotropis procera L.) under drought stress

Taghvaei, Mansour,Kordestani, Mojtaba Dolat The Ecological Society of Korea 2012 Journal of Ecology and Environment Vol.35 No.4

The use of growth medium is often recommended milkweed seedlings to grow and develop after emergence, and it is affected by growth medium and local habitat conditions. The effects of growth medium and partial shade on early growth of milkweed under drought stress (Calotropis procera L.) were studied in a field experiment. A split-split plot experimental design with three replications was carried out in the nursery. The main treatment plot was divided into two levels of shade; (no shading and partial shading). Sub treatment plot1 included growth medium at four levels (G1 = clay [suitable for milkweed growth], G2 = clay + sand, G3 = clay + perlite, G4 = clay + perlite + sand) and sub treatment plot2 included drought (irrigation intervals) at six levels (D1 = 2 [control], D2 = 4, D3 = 6, D4 = 8, D5 = 10, and D6 = 12 days per for three month). The results showed that drought stress significantly decreased emergence percentage, shoot length, shoot dry weight (SDW1), root dry weight (RDW), seedling dry weight (SDW2) and vigor index (VI). The use of growth medium increased all seedling characteristics. The G3 (clay + perlite) growth medium showed the highest performance, especially in terms of emergence percentage and seedling dry weight. Partial shade improved shoot length, shoot dry weight, and vigor index. Our results showed that the best treatment for high-vigor milkweed seedlings under drought stress was G3 (clay + perlite) growth medium and partial shade.