Effects of Six Chemical and Mineral Mulches on the Establishment and Survival of Calligonum and Haloxylon

Nowadays, wind erosion and dust have become environmental problems, not only in desert
areas, but throughout the entire country, which have imposed many costs on the country budget.
Combating wind erosion in many deserts using adapted plants and oil mulch has 40 years history.
But the widespread use of petroleum mulches in addition to environmental problems is not
economically justified due to the involved high cost of purchasing these materials, moving and
spraying of them. In this study effects of non-oil and chemical mulches on germination and survival
of plants used to biological regeneration of the areas which were subjected to the wind erosion were
investigated and the best mulch was introduced. Accordingly, survival and establishment
percentage of seeds, cuttings and seedlings of Calligonum comosom and Haloxylon persicum plants
in a randomized complete block with 6 treatments under 6 mulches, namely: Polymer, Fars, RB,
Paya, cement and DC400, in 3 replications, were investigated. The results showed that in the
method of seeding, pots with Paya and cement mulches had the highest survival and height, and
Paya and Polymer mulches produed the highest survival percentage. In the Cutting method, cement
mulch had the highest survival, survival percentage and height. In the Seedlings method, the highest
survival and survival percentage were observed in the Fars, Paya, Polimer and cement mulches and
the maximum height was observed in the cement and R.B mulches. Therefore, the cement mulch is
the best cover for combating wind erosion.