Abstract

Pistacia atlantica Desf. is one of the most important wild species in Zagros forests which is of high economical and environmental value. Therefore the investigation on the vegetative parameters of this native species is necessary. The study was conducted in Shoorab nursery placed in Khoram Abad city, which was located in west of Iran. Experiment was carried out based on randomized plot (block) design including 4 soil treatments (pure forest soil, sandy soil, nursery soil and mixed forest soil) with 100 replications for each treatment. The height, vitality, and leaf number, collar diameter, survival, stem length, root length, stem: root length ratio and stem: root dry weight ratio of P. atlantica Desf seedlings were measured. The results showed significant effects of different soil treatments 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 seedlings grown on the nursery soil. In conclusion the forest soil had better effects on vegetative parameters of Pistacia atlantica Desf seedlings.

Key words: Soil treatments, Pistacia atlantica desf., seedlings, vegetative parameters, nursery.