Journal of Range and Watershed Managment

Investigation of some habitat characteristics and forage quality of Citrullus colocynthis (case study: Sistan and Baluchestan orovience)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Morteza Saberi 1
vahid karimian 2
Hamid Niknahad Gharemakhar 3

1 Assistant professor, Range and watershed management department, Water and Soil collage, University of Zabol, Iran.

2 Ph.D. Graduate, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran.

3 Associate Professor, Department of Rangeland Management, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22059/jrwm.2019.279977.1376
Abstract
Many regular visits were done to investigate the phenological stages of the plant in Zabol and Saravan habitats. Plant cover of the species was investigated by plot with 4 square meter along to 4 transect with 200 meters. To investigate their physicochemical properties of soil, soil sample were taken from 0-30 cm depth under the species and area without species. Forage quality index was analyzed by 4 replication on three phenological stages (vegetative, flowering and maturity stages). Results indicated that the first leaves of the species were initiated in March and August is the end of growing period. The average of canopy cover and density of Citrullus colocynthis had significant difference in the two regions (P<0.01). The rooting depth of this species was 207 and 123 centimeters in Zabol and Saravan habitats, respectively. The results showed that the electrical conductivity, carbon and organic matter under the studied species were significantly higher than the control area. The results of soil analysis under the species of two habitats also showed that sand, silt, acidity, lime and organic carbon content were significant at 5% level (p <0.05) and organic matter was significant at 1% level (p <0.01). Also, the average of sand, acidity, organic creatinine and organic matter of Zabol habitat was higher than Saravan, but the amount of silt and lime in the plant cover was higher in Saravan than that of Zabol.

Keywords

Citrullus colocynthis
habitat characteristics
Forage quality
Rangelands
Sistan and Baluchestan
Journal of Range and Watershed Managment
Volume 72, Issue 3
Autumn 2019
Pages 769-784

  • Receive Date 02 May 2019
  • Revise Date 19 October 2019
  • Accept Date 12 January 2020
  • Publish Date 22 November 2019

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