[Effects of sand-burying on seed germination and seedling emergence of six psammophytes species].

This paper studied the effects of sand-burying on the seed germination and seedling emergence of six dominance plants in Keerqin Sandy Land. Six treatments of artificially sand-burying to depths 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 cm were designed. The results showed that the seed germination of Agriophyllum squarrosum was significantly different (P < 0.05) between different treatments, but that of Artemesia halodendron was only significantly different (P< 0.05) between 2 cm and other burial depths. For other four plants, their seed germination was significantly different (P < 0.05) only between 0 cm and other burial depths. Sand-burying significantly affected the seedling emergence of all plant species. The emergence rate decreased with increasing burial depth. Higher emergence percentages were obtained at 2 and 4 cm burial depths. The species with larger seeds emerged from deeper depth, and the maximum burial depth of seedling emergence was Sophora flavescdens > Atraphaxis manshurica > or = Agriophyllum squarrosum > Hedysarum fruticosum > Bassia dasyphylla > Artemesia halodendron.