Nutritive Values of Some Wetland Plants in the Deltaic Mediterranean Coast of Egypt

Abstract

THIS STUDY aims to investigate the nutritive values of some wildplants in the coastal Deltaic Mediterranean wetlands of Egypt forsustainable uses and management; these are: Arthrocnemummacrostachyum (Moric) Koch, Atriplex portulacoides L., Bassia indica(Weight) A. J. Scott, Chenopodium album L., Halocnemum strobilaceum(Pall.) M. Bieb (Chenopodiaceae) , Amaranthus hybridus L(Amaranthaceae), Portulaca oleracea L.(Portulacaceae), Bolboschoenusglaucus L.(Cyperaceae) , Sesbania sesban L. (Fabaceae ) and PlucheaDioscorides (L.) DC. (Asteraceae) as their over growth and dominationcause many serious environmental problems, So it is urgent to suggestthe possible economic uses of these plants as a tool in sustainablemanagement. The mean values of the physicochemical characteristics ofsoil samples collected underneath the studied species were carried out tobe considered during cultivation of these plants. The determination oflipid, crude protein, total phosphorus, total carbohydrates, crude fiber, ashcontent and dry weight, as well as Na+, K+ and Ca+ cations in the drymater showed noteable variation among the studied species. The highestmean carbohydrates content was recorded in P. oleracea and A. hybriduswith values of 211.3 and 291 mg/g dry wt. , respectively. The relativelyhigh contents of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins in some selected plantspecies qualify them as suitable candidates to be used as animal feedstalk and natural organic fertilizers with safe manner. The high contentsof Na+, K+ and Ca+ ions in the studied plants make them also as a goodsource of mineral salts in food formulas, and as a tool for desalinization inthe salt affected lands in the coastal Egyptian wetland habitats.