Effects of Growth Stages on Forage Quality of Specific Halophytes (Limonium Iranicum & Reaumuria Fruticosa) in the Bajestan Desert of Korasan Province, Iran

Abstract

Limited water resources, increased salinity, and lack of food sources in arid areas affect livestock productivity. Thus, the production potential of halophytes in saline habitats as an alternative source is of particular importance. In addition, forage quality is one of the factors determining the nutritional requirements of livestock and subsequently the grazing capacity of rangelands, and it needs to be evaluated in line with introducing the halophytes as livestock forage. In the present study, the two dominant halophytes, Limonium iranicum and Reaumuria fruticosa, were selected in the Bajestan Desrt and forage quality traits were measured at vegetative growth, flowering, and seed maturity stages. Forage quality traits including DMD, CP, CF, WSC, ASH, and ADF were measured by NIR. Data were analyzed using a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with SAS software. Mean comparisons were conducted using Duncan's Multiple Range test. According to the obtained results, forage quality traits showed significant differences at three phenological stages (P<0.01). Limonium iranicum showed the highest value of crude protein at vegetative growth stage, while for Reaumuria fruticosa, the highest value of CP was recorded at flowering and seed maturity stages, indicating a higher forage quality. Our results clearly showed that the forage quality of the halophytes studied here differed, depending on species composition and growth stage which should be considered for livestock feed management.