Effects of Nursery Cultivation Regimes on Roots, Stems and Leaves of Pistacia atlantica Desf Seedlings

Abstract

This research was conducted to evaluate the responses of Pistacia atlantica Desf seedlings to treatments of time (December
19th, February 05th and March 11th), depth (1, 2 and 3 cm), and soil of seed cultivation bed (pure forest soil, sandy soil, nursery soil
and mixed forest soil) in a nursery in Lorestan province of Iran. Seeds were planted into plastic vases and since June the vegetative
parameters of seedlings were measured. Results showed that seedlings cultivated in February had a more height, leaf numbers and
vitality than those cultivated in December and March. The collar diameter in March cultivation was the lowest. Seedlings survival
was 24.04% and 1.8% in December and March cultivations, respectively. The seedlings height in cultivation depth 1cm and 2 cm
was significantly more than 3 cm. Seedlings with most vitality can be seen in the cultivation depth 1 cm. A trend of decreasing
leaf numbers was observed when the depth of cultivation became more. The survival rate in cultivation depth 1 cm was more than
3 cm. The stem length was nearly the same in three time treatments, while the stem length significantly declined with increasing
cultivation depth. On average, the seedlings in cultivation depth 3 cm had significantly highest stem: root dry weight ratio. Different
soil treatments had significant effects on different growth properties of seedlings except for effects on root length and stem: root
length ratio. Grown seedlings on the forest soil had highest height, vitality, leaf number and survival, while the stem: root dry
weight ratio for grown seedlings on this soil type was the least. The greatest collar diameter growth was observed on nursery soil.
In conclude the cultivation time of December, cultivation depths 1 cm and 2 cm and nursery soil had better affect on vegetative
parameters of Pistacia atlantica Desf seedlings.