Growth and development of the wild-growing subshrub Salsola orientalis SG Gmel. in culture under conditions of the Central Asian desert

Abstract

In terms of life form Salsola orientalis S.G. Gmel. is a semi-shrub; its height reaches 40–60 cm; in terms of ecology, it is a haloxerophyte, extremely resistant to salt stress, air, and soil droughts. Salsola orientalis is a highly nutritious forage plant containing up to 20% protein in the budding phase. High resistance to environmental stress and good forage value allow us to consider it as a promising plant – its introduction into culture allowed restoring the forage productivity of degraded pastures in the Central Asian desert. The features of growth and development of Salsola orientalis were studied for ecological and biological characteristics and the possibility of introducing it into culture. It was found that the laboratory germination of seeds of the wild-growing half-shrub Salsola orientalis was quite high – 20–60%; field germination was very low – 0.1–1.7%. The survival rate of seedlings in young plants depends on environmental conditions and plant density. Under conditions of the Central Asian desert the plants basically die in the first year, especially in the germination phase; in the second year we registered insignificant losses; in subsequent years the number of plants stabilized. Salsola orientalis was found to be a fast growing plant, forming a normal half-shrub in the first year of life. The high ecological stability of Salsola orientalis in combination with its deeply penetrating and powerfully developed root system ensures vigorous and rapid growth. Under conditions of the Central Asian desert Salsola orientalis yields 1.3–1.7 t/ha of dry fodder mass, which is 4–5 times higher than the fodder productivity of natural desert pastures.