The effect of seed pre-soaking, burial depth and site conditions on the survival and growth of wild almond, Amygdalus scoparia

Wild almond (Amygdalus scoparia) is one of the most important species that provides a variety of ecological functions in the Zagros forest ecosystem. In this study, we investigated the effects of some seed treatments on the survival and growth of Amygdalus scoparia after seed planting at different aspects and elevations under natural conditions. The seed pretreatments consisted in soaking them in water at cold (10 °C) and warm (80 °C) temperatures for 24 hours. The impact of these pretreatments was evaluated on the survival rate (%), height and diameter growth of newly emerged seedlings. Based on Duncan’s test, the height of seedlings established on the north-facing aspect was significantly higher than the other aspects, while the lowest seedling height was observed in the south-facing aspect. The height of seedlings established on east- and west-facing aspects had intermediate values and were statistically similar. The tallest seedlings were observed when seeds were buried at a depth of 2 cm and seedling height tended to decrease with increasing burial depth. Seedlings established on the north-facing aspect at both elevation levels (1200 and 1800 m) were significantly taller than those found on the south-facing aspect. Overall, the use of cold water as a seed pre-treatment in conjunction with a north-facing seedling at a burial depth of 2 cm maximize the survival and the development of Amygdalus scoparia seedlings.