Study of the Factors That May Increase the Germination of Four Shrub Species(Erica australis, Erica erigena, Erica umbellata and Cistus salviifolius) for Their Use in Revegetation of Desert Soils in the Sahara Region

摘要

The aim of this study has been to test the viability and to find ways of increasing the germination rate of seeds of four shrub species (Erica australis, Erica erigena, Erica umbellata and Cistus salviifolius), and, in this way, to facilitate the revegetation and to provide desert soils in the Sahara region with new plant life. Besides, these areas may be a limiting factor for the development of the human communities, whose economy is based on agriculture and farming. A number of studies on the application of different methods of scarification and temperature alternation to stimulate the germination and to facilitate the breaking of seed coats, even in dormancy seeds, were carried out. The study has shown that scarification treatments considerably increase the germination rate and are appropriate to get a larger number of seedlings. Besides, thermal treatments at 50, 75 and 100 degrees Celsius slightly increase germination, while temperatures of 150°C and 200°C turn out to be lethal.