Germination Model for Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica) in Response to Temperature and Drought Stress

Select the appropriate tree species and compatible with harsh environmental conditions, with a high survival rate and optimal growth, is very important in the principled forestation projects. Offering moisture - temperature - time seed germination model is one of the solutions to the prediction of seed germination patterns as in this study, germination behavior model in four replications of 50 seeds of Cupressus arizonica (dishes 11cm) on the incubator was examined by applying five levels of water stress (0, -0.5, -1, -1.5, -2 MPa) and temperature treatments (10, 15, 20, 25, 30 °C). The results showed that the optimum temperature (To) and the basic temperature (Tb) for germination is 19.23±0.5 and 6.54 ± 0.0 °C respectively, and amount of the hydro time constant (θH) for this species is 0.29±0.11. According to the results, temperature and water potential factors and their interaction affected significantly on time and percent germination. Value of the hydrothermal time model was determined by using θHT= [(Ψ-Ψb (g)) (T-Tb)] tough model that its rate was 126.3 MPa°C. d with 0.87 coefficients of determination.