An Autecological Study of Agropyron cristatum in West Azarbaijan Province

An autecological study of crested wheatgrass was carried out in west Azarbaijan province from 1977 to 200 I. The objectives included: 1- preparation of a habitat map 2- phenology study 3- a determ ination of the relationship of crested wheatgrass with land form (slope , direction as well as height), geological formation , soil and finally 4- determination of density, canopy cover, companion species, root extension as well as biovolume. A west Azarbaijan catchments were selected as case study units.
Study of geographic distribution of crested wheatgrass was done in each catchment, considering geology formation and land from. Phenological studies were done at different intervals in Bazargan, Sero (kuh-e-Tapik) and Salmas (Tamar mountains).The results demonstrated that crested wheatgrass was found in all Azarbaijan's catchments from an elevation of approximately 800 to 3575 meters above sea level in all geographic aspects. The campanion species are: Astragalus parrowianus.Bromus tomentellus.Achillea millefolium & Stachys schetschegleevii.
The time of initial growth, vegetative growth , heading, flowering, seed ripeing and seed shedding of crested wheatgrass in Bazargan are respectively mid Marh , mid May , late May , mid June , late July and early September. The density, canopy cover and root extending in Ag.cristatum in Tapik , Tamar & Bazargan are (1800,1200, 1100 bunch per hectare),(3,2,2 percent) & (130,80,85 centimeters) respectively.
The geolog ic studies indicated that the main habitats of Ag.criatatum are Colored melange as well as Qom formation. It grows best on medium-textured soils, from sandy loams to clay loams. Crested wheatgrass does not grow well in loose sandy soils, heavy clays, or saline soils.