studying the ecology of halophyte plant species provides useful information for reclamation and managements of arid and semiarid rangelands. this research was implemented as a pot experiment in which seeds of three rangeland species (erotiaceratoides, agropyrndesertorum, and salsolaarbusculiformis) were sown in the soil taken from understory of salsola or from the open spaces. soil samples were...

The effect of electromagnetic field was examined on Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) seeds to enhance seed germination and early growth. The seeds were exposed to four magnetic strengths of 15, 100, 400 and 800 mT in four durations of 30, 60, 120 and 240 min. The experiments were carried out in two forms of laboratory germination and soil emergence. Results showed that magnetic field application enhance...

Litter accumulation resulting from land use change (enclosure) is one of the key variables influencing seedling recruitment and consequently the regeneration of plant populations and seed persistence in the soil seed bank. A better understanding of the effects of litter on seed germination and seedling emergence is crucial for developing a new set of indicators for grassland ecosystem health an...

Reduced recruitment of blue oak (Quercus douglasii) seedlings in California grasslands and woodlands may result from shifts in seasonal soil water availability coincident with replacement of the native perennial herbaceous community by Mediterranean annuals. We used a combination of container and field experiments to examine the interrelationships between soil water potential, herbaceous neighb...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS A meta-analysis of global change experiments in arctic tundra sites suggests that plant productivity and the cover of shrubs, grasses and dead plant material (i.e. litter) will increase and the cover of bryophytes will decrease in response to higher air temperatures. However, little is known about which effects these changes in vegetation structure will have on seedling recr...

present study examines whether there is any beneficial effect of magnetized water application on seedling emergence of maize seeds. water from various sources like tap water, saline water (1,500 ppm), canal water, and sewerage water was treated magnetically by passing it through 235 mt magnetic fields at 3 lpm flow rate. seeds were soaked in water for 24 hours and planted in sand culture. numbe...

salinity is one of the environmental factors that have a critical influence on the plant emergence and plant growth and establishment. the determination of salinity tolerance threshold is a useful criterion to choose soil and irrigation water for cultivation of halophytes. in order to determine salinity tolerance threshold in amaranthus retrofelexus, an experiment was performed in greenhouse ba...

The resistance encountered by a seedling as it pushes through the soil causes inhibition of stem elongation and stimulates stem thickening, facilitating soil penetration. A new study demonstrates that two proteolytic pathways work in double-negative fashion - one targeting the other - to protect transcription factors central to this response.

Proliferation of woody plants in grasslands and savannas since the 1800s has been widely documented. In the southwestern United States, increased abundance of honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa var. glandulosa) has been attributed to heavy grazing by livestock. Here, we test the hypothesis that P. glandulosa invasion of grasslands requires, first, reductions in herbaceous biomass and density s...