نوع مقاله : مقاله ترویجی
نویسندگان
1 بخش تحقیقات جنگلها و مراتع، مرکز تحقیقات و آموزش کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی استان کردستان، سازمان تحقیقات، آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی،
2 پژوهشگر، بخش تحقیقات جنگلها و مراتع، مرکز تحقیقات و آموزش کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی استان کردستان، سنندج، ایران
3 دانشیار پژوهش، بخش تحقیقات جنگلها و مراتع، مرکز تحقیقات و آموزش کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی استان کردستان، سنندج، ایران
4 گروه گیاهپزشکی، دانشکده کشاورزی، دانشگاه شاهد، تهران، ایران
چکیده
کلیدواژهها
موضوعات
Selecting mother trees and screening Brant’s oak acorns: An effective step toward restoring Zagros forests in Iran
Saman Maleki1*, Sheyda Khosravi2, Maziar Haidari3, Jaber Karimi4
1*- Research Expert, Forests and Rangelands Research Department, Kurdistan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Sanandaj, Iran, Email: sam.maleki2017@hotmail.com | ORCID ID: 0000-0001-8048-8760
2- Researcher, Forests and Rangelands Research Department, Kurdistan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Sanandaj, Iran
3- Associate Professor, Forests and Rangelands Research Department, Kurdistan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Sanandaj, Iran
4- Associate Professor, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
Received: 19/June/2026 Revised: 03/August/2026 Accepted: 19/August/2026
Abstract
Declining natural regeneration in the oak forests of Iran’s Zagros Mountains under climatic and biological stresses has increased the need to use suitable acorns in forest restoration programs. This study investigated the reliability of visible characteristics of mother trees as criteria for selecting Brant’s oak acorns. In 2024, 11 healthy, acorn-bearing mother trees were selected in the Maraneh forests of Marivan County, Kurdistan Province, Iran. From each tree, 40 mature and apparently healthy acorns were collected. Acorn length, width, and weight, cupule characteristics, and mother-tree diameter, height, and crown area were measured. The results showed that acorns collected from different mother trees varied in size, weight, and cupule characteristics. No significant relationships were found between the measured characteristics of the mother trees and the quantitative traits of the acorns and cupules. Therefore, neither tree size nor crown area alone is a reliable criterion for acorn selection, and the acorns themselves should also be examined. Based on the findings of this study and a review of the scientific literature, a practical six-step guideline was proposed, covering the process from mother-tree selection to the planting of Brant’s oak acorns. The six steps include: (1) selecting healthy mother trees, (2) collecting acorns from several dispersed mother trees, (3) initially removing visibly unsuitable acorns, (4) labeling acorn bags, (5) conducting supplementary acorn screening, and (6) transporting acorns, short-term storage, and timely planting. Supplementary screening combines visual inspection, the float test, and the cutting of a sample of acorns as complementary methods. Implementing this guideline can help reduce the number of unhealthy acorns entering nurseries and direct-seeding programs and improve the efficiency of Zagros forest restoration efforts.
Keywords: Acorn screening, float test, natural regeneration, northern Zagros, seed viability.
Maleki, S., Khosravi, S., Haidari, M., Karimi, J. 2026. Selecting mother trees and screening Brant's oak acorns: An effective step toward restoring Zagros forests in Iran. Zagros Ecosystem and Sustainable Development, 1(2): 33-41.
DOI: 10.22034/ZAGROS.2026.373247.1025
URL: https://zagros.areeo.ac.ir/article_136044.html
ملکی، س.، خسروی، ش.، حیدری، م.، کریمی، ج. ۱۴۰۵. انتخاب درخت مادری و غربال بذر برودار؛ گامی مؤثر در احیای جنگلهای زاگرس. زیستبوم و توسعه پایدار زاگرس، 1(2): 41-33.
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