Summary
The experimental work that is being carried out at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev on the development of seawater agriculture based on salt-resistant halophytes is described. An experimental field, located 100 meters from the Mediterranean seashore, was prepared and equipped for experimentation with seawater irrigation. A detailed description of this system is given.
The work on halophytic fodder plants is basically divided into three components: 1) introduction of a large number of halophytic species and their selection for resistance to seawater salinity; 2) irrigation and management studies of selected fodder halophytes under seawater irrigation; and 3) feeding tests with the halophytic fodder.
One hundred and twenty plant species have been tested since 1982. Of these, 26 have performed at least as well under irrigation with 100% seawater as under irrigation with 15% seawater. The outstanding introductions wereAtriplex lentiformis, A. barclayana, A. atacamensis, A. undulata and an Atriplex species from Camarones in Argentina.
Atriplex nummularia was irrigated with 100%, 75% and 15% seawater. The corresponding annual yields of dry matter were 1.53, 2.12 and 2.89 kg m−2. The ash content was very high, from 25 to 40% of the dry weight, depending on the treatment and season. The crude protein content was 15–21%.
A first largescale feeding trial was carried out to test the value ofA. nummularia as a protein supplement for sheep grazing on wheat aftermaths. The daily intake of dry matter was 400 g per head, which was effective only with the daily addition of 400 g corn meal per head. It appears that the low feed intake is at present the main limiting factor in the development of seawater-irrigated fodder.
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Pasternak, D., Danon, A., Aronson, J.A. et al. Developing the seawater agriculture concept. Plant Soil 89, 337–348 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02182252
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02182252