New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts

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Dry matter accumulation and chemical content of saltbush (Atriplex halimus) grown in Mediterranean desert shrublands

Moh’d Khair J. El-Shatnawi

Faculty of Agriculture
Jordan University of Science and Technology
P.O. Box 3030
Irbid 22110, Jordan
email: mkhair@just.edu.jo

Munier Turuk

Faculty of Agriculture
Jordan University of Science and Technology
P.O. Box 3030
Irbid, Jordan

Abstract   Saltbush (Atriplex halimus), a shrub native to Jordan, is an important species used for rangeland reclamation in Mediterranean desert shrublands. It provides valuable fodder during long dry seasons and droughts. The objective was to determine dry matter accumulation and chemical content of leaves and twigs of A. halimus and its value as a sheep feed source on aridland in Jordan. The seasonal changes of leaf and twig contents had similar patterns. Leaves and twigs produced higher amounts of dry matter during the period from June to October and peaked in August. Crude protein of leaves and twigs reached maximum levels in April (20.5 and 21.4%, respectively). The protein concentrations decreased to 14% during the dry period (October-December). Within harvest date, there were no significant differences between nitrogen-free extract (NFE) content of leaves and twigs. Leaves and twigs showed maximum concentrations of NFE (48.5 and 47.1%, respectively) during December. Saltbush phosphorus content did not meet nutritional requirements of ewes, whereas sodium content was high (2.8-4.4%) and exceeded the maximum amount required by sheep.

Keywords   aridland; Atriplex halimus; crude protein; leaves; Middle East; sodium; twigs

A02011 Received 15 February 2002; accepted 4 June 2002; published 30 September 2002
New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 2002, Vol. 45: 139-144
0028-8233/02/4503-0139 $7.00/0 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2002

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