摘要：This study compared some attributes of four forages grown in the arid rangelands of Jordan. Three experimental sites were selected, a plot of 0.8 ha was delineated at each site and subdivided intofour equal subplots and contour ridges were constructed at all subplots to harness the surface runoff of rainfall. A t each site, A trip ie x halim us (ATP), S al sola ver m iculata (SAL) and barley (BAR) were planted in the ridges in three out of four sub-plots and the fourth sub-plot was left without any intervention to represent natural vegetation (NV) resulting in four treatments: Tnv, Tnv+atp, Tnv+sal and Tnv+bar. Biomass production, rain use efficiency of forage production (RUEf), carrying capacity (CC), relative feed value (RFV) and Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) were monitored in February and A pril representing early and late spring grazing. The highest fresh and dry weights of forage (240.1 and 131.1 kg ha-1), CC (1.35 SUM ha-1) and RUEf (1.75 kg DM ha1 m m 1) were observed in Tnv+atp. Planting A triplex, Salsola or barley negatively affected the forage production of natural vegetation established in the ridges. The socio-economic aspects of production and utilization of Tnv+atp and its impact on range- lands biodiversity should be carefully investigated before out-scaling of this re vegetation approach.
关键词：Jordan Badia;Rangel and revegetation;Carrying capacity;Forage shrubs;Rain-use efficiency
