Effect of different irrigation and shade treatments on seedling production of Celtis caucasica Willd.

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the different irrigation and shade treatments on seedling production of Celtis caucasica in Shorab nursery, Khoramabad city, Iran. For this purpose, 30 Celtis caucasica trees were selected in around of Shorab village forests and then seeds were collected from four directions of trees. After investigating the seeds quality, seeds were planted on pots in Novamber and budded in April next year and afterwards pots were irrigated daily until starting treatments. Then, four irrigation treatments (control, once in every two, three and four days) and three shade treatments (full light, semi shade and full shade) with three replicates and 30 pots per replicate (totally, 1080 experimental units) were applied for five months. Based on results, seed survival of this species was 84 percent. Shade, irrigation and interactions effects of these treatments have significant effects on seedling height, root length and collar diameter of Celtis caucasica after the end of one growing season and their interactions are significant as well (p<0.01). Seedling survival, height and collar diameter were the most in full light and were the lowest in full shade. Also, Irrigation has significant effect on seedling height only in full light treatment. Seedling survival and height had not significant differences in one- and two-day irrigations in full light. So, it is proposed to use the full light and once in every two-day irrigation treatments for production of Celtis caucasica seedlings.

Keywords

• celtis caucasica seedlings
• drought stress
• light stress
• seed survival
• zagros forests