تاثير فاصله كاشت و نوع هرس بر توليد علوفه گونه آتريپلكس لنتي فرميس در استان يزد

Effects of row spacing and pruning type on forage yield of Atriplex lentiformis in Yazd Province

Determining row spacing and the proper method of harvest of Atriplex lentiformis is a research priority in the regions where shrub cultivating in deserts is possible. For this reason, a site measuring 4.5 ha in the margin of Kavir-e Siahkuh, Yazd Province, was chosen and was brought under the cultivation with the shrub. This research was carried out under the split split-plot scheme with 2, 4 and 6 meter spaces between the rows of the main treatments. Concerning the sub-treatments, the shrubs were pruned at height of 0, 20, 40, 60 cm and no pruning (control) on annual, biennial and triennial bases. Harvesting and weighing forage began in fall 1993 and continued until late 2001 according to the schedule. Results showed that there was a significant difference (P<0.10) between the cumulated forage harvested in terms of spacing treatments, and maximum yield attained in when a two meter spacing was adopted between the rows. There is no significant difference in terms of pruning regime. The difference in pruning height produces more distinguished differences toward the end of the test period. Maximum forage production was found in the treatment with height 60 cm. examining interactions of row spacing, pruning regime and pruning height, the treatment with 60 cm height and two meter spacing that underwent annual pruning yielded maximum cumulative product during the test period and was introduced as the optimum treatment in this research.