SURVIVAL AND PRODUCTIVITY OF CHENOPODS IN SALT-AFFECTED LANDS OF IRAQ

Ten species of shrubs namely: Atriplex lentiformis, A. undulata, A. canescens, A. semi-baccata, A. nummularia, A. halimus, A. paludosa, A. amnicola, Salsola rigida and Maireana brevifolia were transplanted into a two-block experiment at Dalmaj Station 200 km south-east of Baghdad, in 1982. The site is highly saline with an ECe value for the top 10 cm soil layer of 62 dS m-1. The experiment was conducted under conditions with an annual rainfall average of 80 mm and a mean annual evaporation rate of 3212 mm for the period of study 1982-1986. Measurements and observations on plant survival, growth rate, flowering and production of seeds and volunteer seedlings and total production were made. Atriplex lentiformis had the greatest survival rate with M. brevifolia the least. Best growth was given by A. lentiformis. All species except A. amnicola produced seeds, and volunteer seedlings were observed from A. semi-baccata, A. leentiformis, A. halimus, A. nummularia and A. undulata. Dry matter production ranged from 17 800 kg ha-1 in A. lentiformis to 360 kg ha-1 in S. rigida over the four years. © 1990.