Effect of seed source and pre-treatment hydrogen peroxide on germination characteristics of Fagus orientalis Lipsky Seed

In order to evaluate seed source and pre-treatment hydrogen peroxide on the seed germination characters of Fagus orientalis Lipsky, some seeds were collected from three altitudes (600, 1200, 1800 m a.s.l.) in Vaz forests of Noor city (north of Iran). Following soaking in hydrogen peroxide (20 and 40 minutes) seeds were stratified together with the control in moist sand and maintained in refrigerator for 120 days. Germination initiation was recorded every week. The results showed that seed dormancy of 1800 m elevation took 60 days long which was longer than the other two seed sources. Seed source significantly affected seed germination, whereas seed germination rate, mean daily germination and germination speed increased with increase in altitude. Hydrogen peroxide did not increase seed germination as well as daily germination mean. This research revealed that to break dormancy of higher elevations seed, the longer stratification period is required. Considering applying stratification, control seeds of higher elevations had higher germination rate compared to the seeds of lower elevation. Thus it is advised to use seeds from higher elevations for seedling production in mountain nurseries and seed sowing or seed broadcasting for restoration of deforested or non-regenerated areas of Caspian mountain forests