Sophora alopecuroides, Limonium aureum, Artemisia sphaerocephala, Artemisia ordosica and  Reaumuria soongorica are the major associated species in Nitraria communities in the lower reaches of Shiyang River. The seedling emergence rates of those species at different soil textures and soil burial depths were researched under field condition in order to introduce excellent plant species used for the restoration of the degraded Nitraria  vegetation. Results showed that the seedling emergence rates of the major associated species in  Nitraria  communities were all low under field condition, but their seedling emergence abilities were obviously different. Soil texture only had significant influence on the seedling emergence rates of  S. alopecuroides, L. aureum and A. sphaerocephala, but soil burial depth had significant influence on the seedling emergence rates of S. alopecuroides, L.aureum, A. sphaerocephala, A. ordosica and R. soongorica. The mean seedling emergence rates of S. alopecuroides  at different soil textures and burial depths were the biggest, those of  R. soongorica, L.aureum  and  A. sphaerocephala  were second, and that of A.ordosica were the lowest. The species with the highest seedling emergence rate at sandy soil was  A. sphaerocephala, at sandy loam soil was L.aureum, and at clay soil was R. soongorica. The optimal soil burial depth was 1.0-2.0 cm for S. alopecuroides, and 0.5 cm for  L.aureum, A. sphaerocephala, A.ordosica and  R.soongorica. The results indicated that the selection of adaptive species and artificial promoting technologies were vital for restoration of the degraded  Nitraria  vegetation.

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