Publication Date
1989
Description
Marginal lands in this paper refer to the non arable lands which exist within or adjacent to the cropping zone in the mediterranean basin. Such lands constitue a sizable proportion of the total land available in north Africa and southern Europe. Similarly in west Asia there are large areas : in Syria and Lebanon, they constitute between 30 to 60% of the total land surface. In west Asia and north Africa (W ANA), these lands are used mainly for grazing of sheep and goats. However, because productivity is low the animals need supplementary feeding with barley grain, grazing of green barley or sown forages. Improving productivity on grazing lands should reduce the need for suplementation and increase carrying capacity. Phosphate fertilizers are widely used in the mediterranean type climates of California and Australia to improve pasture productivity. In both cases however, the practice is linked with the seeding of the pasture with introduced legume species (annual medics and clovers). This is due to the lack of native herbaceous legumes in Australia (Donald, 1970) and the poor productivity of native legumes in California (Jones, 1974; et al., 1970; Martin and Berry, 1956). In the mediterranean basin on the other hand, grazing lands are rich in legumes especially medics (Medicago) and clovers (Trifolium). On the land of the present study, there are over forty legume species present, most of them species of Trifolium, Medicago and Trigonella. Phosphate fertilization of marginal lands in the mediterranean basin is not widely used, although, because of the presence of native legumes, there would seem to be even greater potential than existed in California and Australia. In this paper the role of native legumes in improving marginal land is discussed with emphasis on the use of phosphate fertilizers.
Citation
Osman, A E.; Cocks, P S.; Thomson, E F.; and Russi, L, "Improving Marginal Land Productivity in Mediterranean Environment Using Phosphate Fertilizer" (2025). IGC Proceedings (1989-2023). 49.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1989/session13b/49
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Improving Marginal Land Productivity in Mediterranean Environment Using Phosphate Fertilizer
Marginal lands in this paper refer to the non arable lands which exist within or adjacent to the cropping zone in the mediterranean basin. Such lands constitue a sizable proportion of the total land available in north Africa and southern Europe. Similarly in west Asia there are large areas : in Syria and Lebanon, they constitute between 30 to 60% of the total land surface. In west Asia and north Africa (W ANA), these lands are used mainly for grazing of sheep and goats. However, because productivity is low the animals need supplementary feeding with barley grain, grazing of green barley or sown forages. Improving productivity on grazing lands should reduce the need for suplementation and increase carrying capacity. Phosphate fertilizers are widely used in the mediterranean type climates of California and Australia to improve pasture productivity. In both cases however, the practice is linked with the seeding of the pasture with introduced legume species (annual medics and clovers). This is due to the lack of native herbaceous legumes in Australia (Donald, 1970) and the poor productivity of native legumes in California (Jones, 1974; et al., 1970; Martin and Berry, 1956). In the mediterranean basin on the other hand, grazing lands are rich in legumes especially medics (Medicago) and clovers (Trifolium). On the land of the present study, there are over forty legume species present, most of them species of Trifolium, Medicago and Trigonella. Phosphate fertilization of marginal lands in the mediterranean basin is not widely used, although, because of the presence of native legumes, there would seem to be even greater potential than existed in California and Australia. In this paper the role of native legumes in improving marginal land is discussed with emphasis on the use of phosphate fertilizers.
