Abstract

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This work was carried out at Soba nursery, Forestry Research Centre, Khartoum- Sudan, March 2009, to study the variation in seedling characteristics of Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) among four provenances using three water intervals (regemes), to reveal the species ability of combating water deficits.The provenances were; Damazin, Sinner, Khartoum and Elfashir. The results showed that irrigation regime once a week had a significant effects on; number of leaves (P=0.034), shoot fresh weight (P=0.012), shoot dry weight (P=0.024), root fresh weight (P=0.017) and the highest response was root dry weight (P=0.004). Whereas, the response of; shoot length, root length, leaf length and leaf width had no significant responses to this irrigation regime. Also significant responses of all seedling characteristics to the irrigation regime; twice a week were observed except shoot length, leaf length and leaf width which were not significant. Number of leaves (P=0.015), shoot fresh weight (0.038), shoot dry weight (P=0.042), root length (P=0.039), root fresh weight (P=0.016), On the other hand, all seedling characteristics had no responses to the irrigation regime once every two weeks. Also the seedling survival was very week and seedling wilt off was observed. Damazin source was the best and revealed high means of seedling characteristic measures.

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