A vast area of Iran is covered by sand dunes. Biological control is an appropriate method for sand dune fixation. So, it is essential to recognize characteristics of psammophyte plant species and introducing suitable species for sand dunes. Ammodendron persicum is one of the important and compatible species in desert ecosystems. The current research was carried out to investigate the effect of different treatments on seed dormancy breaking and germination stimulation of Ammodendron persicum in order to determine the most effective treatment in enhancing of germination and primary growth of seedlings. The experiment was done in a completely Randomized Design. Our experimental design was included10 random attendance namely: soaking of Ammodendron persicum seeds in gibberellic acid (300ppm) for 48 hr, seed scratching scarification with acid in two interval times of 20&30 min, incorporation of later with sand paper scratching scarification, seed scratching with gibberellic acid (300ppm) and time period of 48hr Ammodendron persicum seed sand papering combined with gibberellic acid soaking, wetting Ammodendron persicum seeds with high temperature water (80°C) for 5&10 min then scratching them by sand paper and also using distillated water as control treatment evidence. Experimental results showed, 30 minutes sulfuric acid soaking combined with sand papering can increase germination to 90% of the laboratory. In addition, seed scratching with gibberellic acid (300ppm) and time period of 48hr Ammodendron persicum seed sand papering combined, wetting Ammodendron persicum seeds with high temperature water (80°C) for 5&10 min, the percentage of germination, respectively, 45/15, 45/8, 17/10 and 68/28 respectively. Moreover 30min high density sulfuric acid caring improves Ammodendron persicum, seed vigor, power of greenhouse and lab samples to 450 and 510 respectively. Finally, authors reported scratching and acid soaking combination as an efficient, caring method in this research.

A vast area of Iran is covered by sand dunes and shifting sands in wich threat the living of habitants in these regions. Biological control is an approprate method for sand dune fixation. So, it is essential to regonize characteristics of psamophyte plant species and introducing suitable speciecs for sand dunes. For this perpose, the ecological characteristics of Ammodendron persicum including phenology, adaptability, soil condition of habitates, response to cutting and grazing, regeneration strategy and seed germination were studied. Ammodendron persicum is a shrub and psamophyte plant with the age of 10 to 50 years. Phenoligically, the growth started in March, flower in about 7 May and reach to seed maturity by 20 June. The seed shaded after maturity but the duration of plant growth depend to amonnt of annual rainfall. Ammodendron is a drought resistant plant, because it is grow well in an area with an average of 150 mm rainfall per year. Ammodendron regenerates by seed and vegetative propagules. Grazer animals use this plant by end of growing season. In general this plant has approparate ecological characteristies in terms of establishment over sand dune and has perspective for using in other sand dune areas. The later case is under investigation.

Nowadays, with regard to the global view of desert issue and necessity of using adaptable species in combat desertification, it is urgent to identify and remove the constraints of their production and establishment. Ammodendron persicum is one of the important and compatible species in desert ecosystems. The current research was carried out to investigate the effect of different treatments on seed dormancy breaking and germination stimulation of Ammodendron persicum in order to determine the most effective treatment in enhancing of germination and primary growth of seedlings. The experiment was done in a Randomize Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 8 treatments and 4 replications. Different treatments were applied including scarification plus sulphuric acid (H2SO4 98%) for 10 and 15 minutes, scarification with sandy paper, scarification plus putting the seeds in hot water for 10 and 15 minutes, KNO3 (0.1 and 0.2 %), a complex treatment of scarification and KNO3 (0.1 and 0.2%) and distilled water as control treatment. To analyze the data, ANOVA was used and Duncan test was applied to compare the means. The result showed that scarification with sandy paper had the highest effect on seed dormancy breaking and seed germination stimulation of A. persicum as germination percentage increased from 3% in distilled water to 68% in scarification treatment.

Ammodendron persicum (locally called Divdal) is a less- known woody species of the Zirkooh-Qhaen in the east of Iran. In this study, for the first time wood of this desert species was studied from different physical and anatomical aspects. Three selected logs were used for the study of wood properties. Results showed that Ammodendron wood is a ring -porous hardwood and all parts of its cross section have long rays that are visible with naked eye. In the study of physical properties of Ammodendron wood, the apparent and the dry density were determined as 1.125 and 0.92 g/cm3, respectively that classify this wood in the very dense category.

This study investigated the effects of different concentrations of salinity stress on some morphological and physiological characteristics of Ammodendron persicum using a randomized complete design with four replicates. The salinity factors were control, salinity concentrations of 2. 4. 8 and 12 ds/m and the results showed that salinity significantly affected on all morphological characteristics of the plant. The salinity decreased stem diameter, the number of leaves, stem height, wet and dry weight of aerial parts and increased wet and dry weight of root. The results also showed that salinity increased the amounts of proline in which the highest amount of proline measured in salinity of 12 ds/m and was equal to 0.046 mg/g and the lowest amount measured in control and was equal to 0.022 mg/g. The highest amount of soluble sugar measured in salinity of 12 ds/m and was equal to 0.75 mg/g while the lowest amount measured in control which was equal to 0.63 mg/g. Increasing salinity also increased the amounts of chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll. Increasing salinity decreased percentage of Nitrogen and the highest amounts of N measured in control (equal to 2.13%) and the lowest found in 12 ds/m (equal to 1.57). Increasing salinity decreased also the amounts of K, P, Ca, Mg, and Kﳖ and increased the amounts of Na. It is concluded that Ammodendron persicum is not resistant to salinity and would not have suitable growth in soil with salinity more than 2 ds/m.

Investigation the potential of cellulosic resources was one of the research priorities of our country from the past. In this study, morphological properties of Ammodendron persicum tree stem was done in 5 different heights. Also main wood polymers (lignin, cellulose, and hemicelluloses) and ash in stem, also gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of chemical extracted compounds from wood four of stem and woody roots of this species performed. According to measurements average length, fibers diameter, lumen diameter and wall thickness of heart wood was 1041.26, 12.30, 3.37 and 4.37 µm, respectively. About sapwood this numbers are 969.19, 11.71, 2.96 and 4.46 µm. slenderness, flexibility and Runkel ratios of fibers was 84.1, 27.4 and 262.02 for heart wood and 82.4, 25.2 and 302.9 for sapwood. The results indicate that these fibers are very narrow pore diameter and thick cell wall is capable. The amounts of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and ash for trunks wood were 38.9, 24.7, 29.8 and 0.88% respectively, and for root, were 41.6, 29.2, 24.7 and 2%, respectively. Overall, 13 compound in the trunk and 11 compound were identified at the root, with varying percentages in the trunk and root wood. The most abundant compounds in the trunk of the Docosane (icosane - Docosane - Tricosane - Tetra- Tricosane-Pentacosane -Hexacosane -Heptacosane). In the root wood, Octadecene compound respectively by 40 % and 16.16 % of total extractives was observed. It can be concluded that the fibers and chemical compositions of the Ammodendron persicum species can be valuable in terms of economic aspects and can be optimized by converting them into high value added products.

Diversification of used species in sand stabilization and desertification can help sustain these ecosystems. Most species used in sand stabilization require initial support to adapt to new conditions over time. One of the most important of these supports is irrigation in the early years of planting. In this study, the yield and water use efficiency of (Ammodendron persicum) in lysimetric conditions under the influence of different levels of irrigation were considered. Different irrigation levels consisted of 75, 50, and 25 percent irrigation and field capacity (control), applied in a completely randomized design with four replications. Evapotranspiration rates in control, 75, 50, and 25% under-irrigation treatments were 60, 47, 37, and 26 liters, respectively. By calculating water use efficiency based on the amount of dry matter produced per liter of transpiration water, it was found that there was a significant difference between different treatments. The highest water use efficiency with 2.07 g of dry matter for per liter of transpiration was related to 50% irrigation treatment. As the water consumption decreased, the root to aerial part ratio increased, so that it showed a significant difference in different treatments. The root to aerial part ratio in the control was 0.84 and in the 75% under-irrigation treatment was 1.51. The results of this study showed that Ammodendron persicum in the early stages of establishment due to low growth rate had low water requirements and improved its water use efficiency through various mechanisms such as root development. Due to the low growth, water loss through evaporation in early stages of establishment was high, and to improve irrigation efficiency, appropriate methods to reduce evaporation and maintain soil moisture are recommended.

This study was carried out to investigate the effective environmental factors in the distribution of vegetation in Zirkouh rangelands of Qaen. After delimitation of the study area, sampling of soil and vegetation were performed using randomized- systematic method. Vegetation cover was recorded by using Braun-Blanquet combined abundance-cover scale in each sample. Within each sample, one profile was dug and soil samples being taken at 0-20 cm and 20-100 cm depths. Physical-chemical characteristics were determined include texture, lime, organic matter, soil moisture content, saturation moisture, EC and pH. Five vegetation groups were identified after the application of TWINSPAN method and were named after the characterizing species as follows: Salsola richteri-Aelorupes littoralis; Zygophyllum eurypterum-Haloxylon ammodendron; Artemisia sieberi-Zygophyllum eurypterum; Ammodendron persicum-Stipagrostis pennata; Artemisia aucheri-Amygdalus scoparia. The results of PCA showed that environmental factors best related with the distribution of this vegetation are texture, lime, organic matter, soil moisture content, saturation moisture, elevation and slope.

Reviewing the tribe Sophoreae in Iran, Sophora mollis subsp. sylvestris as a new subspecies is described from SW. and central Iran. It is distinguished from the other subspecies of Sophora mollis by having differences in vegetative and generative characteristics such as size, color and number of leaflet, hairs, petal size and finally fruit shape. Moreover, Ammodendron persicum Bunge ex Boiss. as a forenamed species from flora of Iran had an incomplete botanical description which is revised and completed in present report. The study indicates that the species is an endemic shrub which is distributed on border region of Iran and Afghanistan located in East of Ghaen in Khorassan province and East of Khash in Sistan & Baluchestan province.

Chemodiversity in plants provides sources of great value which might be helpful for finding new leads in drug discovery programs. Fabaceae as the third largest family of flowering plants was chosen to investigate its possible antifungal activity. In order to increase the effectiveness of the result, molecular similarity methods and chemical data were used. Twelve plants were selected from Fabaceae and collected from the North and South of Iran. Percolation method with 80% ethanol was used for extraction of collected plants. Antifungal activities of these extracts were determined using broth microdilution method against Candida albicans (C. albicans) ATCC 10231, Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) AF 293 and Asperigillus niger (A. niger) ATCC 16404. Extracts with promising activity were screened for toxicity with larvae of Artemia salina (brine shrimp). Dalbergia sissoo, Lathyrus pratensis, Oreophysa microphyalla, Astragalus stepporum, Ebenus stellata, Sophora alopecuroides, Ammodendron persicum and Taverniera cuneifolia showed activity against at least one of the microorganisms used in this study. According to the results of our experiment, the extracts of these plants can be used for further investigation in therapeutic research.