Abstract
Yeast extract, which is environmentally friendly, nutritious, and convenient to use, has advantages over common plant growth regulators and soil conditioners. It is worth verifying the effect of the application of yeast extract to afforestation in a semiarid chestnut soil area. This study was conducted through a wild field afforestation experiment in Inner Mongolia, northern China. We designed an orthogonal experiment of 25 treatments with 30 repetitions on Pinus sylvestris(Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica Litv.) sand Armeniaca sibirica（Armeniaca sibirica (L.) Lam）. Three factors with different levels were considered: application to rhizosphere soil with the amounts of 0 g, 10 g, 20 g, 30 g, and 40 g; foliar spraying with concentrations of 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%; and spraying at three moments. The results showed that yeast extract could enhance the seedlings of Pinus sylvestris and Armeniaca sibirica. When applying 40 g of yeast extract, the survival rates and root parameters were significantly boosted. Foliar spraying plays an important role in promoting the growth of seedlings. It was most effective for the two species to be sprayed with a concentration of 2% after leafing of the seedlings. The data also revealed that the application of yeast extract improved the properties of the rhizosphere soil. The porosities and moisture contents were increased, and the bulk densities were reduced. Forty grams (40 g) was the best amount to apply, especially for the soil at 20–40 cm where the seedling roots are mainly located. The chemical properties were also improved, as there was a significant increase in the conductivities, organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus as well as a slight reduction in the calcium carbonate content and pH. Therefore, yeast extract has a beneficial effect on both seedling growth promotion and soil improvement. It is considered to be an environmentally efficient method for afforestation and ecological remediation in semiarid chestnut soil areas.
Highlights
As society has developed, the natural environment has been damaged by intensive human activities, attributed to excessive consumption and the destruction of natural resources
The survival rates with different application amounts to the rhizosphere soil of the two species showed a trend of increment (Table 4)
The survival rate of Armeniaca sibirica was the highest when sprayed after the leafing of the seedlings
Summary
The natural environment has been damaged by intensive human activities, attributed to excessive consumption and the destruction of natural resources. Thereby, the degradation of soil and vegetation and the decrease in diversity are becoming increasingly serious, which further enhances the erosion and massive loss of soil and water. In order to prevent environmental deterioration, many ecological projects have been implemented, among which afforestation is one of the most commonly used [2]. Semiarid chestnut soil areas, where agriculture and animal husbandry intersect, are typically representative of a fragile ecological region. The vegetation coverage and species diversity have been restored, and soil and water have been meliorated [4]. Low rainfall and high evaporation lead to a lack of a water supply for seedlings to survive and grow [5]. As a result of artificial activities, such as grassland reclamation, the chemical properties of chestnut soil tend to deteriorate. Thereby, the survival and preservation rates of afforested seedlings have remained low, and growth has been badly restricted
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