Seed viability of Fagus orientalis Lipsky during short-time storing

Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) seed storing is unavoidable, due to long-time cycle of mass seed production (sometimes up to 8 years) and demand for restoration of its non-regenerated gaps in northern forests of Iran. In this research, F. orientalis seeds with moisture content (MC) of 30% and 7% were stored during 11 months in refrigerator (4° C). By terazolium test, it was revealed that viability of both seed types started to decline after month 3. At the end of the month 11, the viability of seeds with 30% and 7% MC was 51% and 76%, respectively. It is concluded that, the fresh and dry seeds of F. orientalis can be stored near to 1 year in mountain forests of north of Iran and then sown in nursery or sown/broadcasted (with soil scarification) in forest. In order to inhibit the decay, fresh seed is better to be soaked with fungicide at once collection.