Effects of Concrete Content in Vegetation Concrete Matrix on Seed Germination and Seeding Establishment of Cynodon dactylon

Abstract

Cynodon dactylon is an important species applied in the ecological restoration of slope through vegetation concrete. A controlling experiment was employed which included five levels of concrete contents. The changes of germination rate, survival rate, plant height, leaf number and related parameters of root growth under different levels of concrete were determined to uncover the relationship among concrete content, seed germination and seedling establishment. The results show that the concrete content has significant effects on seed germination and seedling establishment. Seed germination, seedling leaf number, plant height, aboveground biomass, belowground biomass and root length, root crossing number increased with the increasing of concrete content at the range from 0 to 8%, but decreased sharply when concrete content was over 8%. However, seedling survival decreased all the time with the increasing of concrete content. 8% seem the suitable concrete content for seed germination and seedling growth in the vegetation concrete matrixes. In the specific ecological restoration projects, concrete content should be determined combining with the strength requirements of slope. Concrete content usually should be lower than 8%. The seeding seeds should be increased when the concrete content had to be over 8%.