Forage quality of Aeluropus lagopoides and A. littoralis species affected by phonological stages in Hamoon Wetland, Iran

Determination of forage quality is one of the fundamental factors for sound management of rangeland. There are spatial and temporal variations in the nutritive quality of range species. In this study, forage quality of two salt tolerant grasses Aeluropus littoralis and A. lagopoides were measured at two phenological stages: vegetative and seed ripening. Study area was located close to Hamoon lake, Iran-Afghanistan border. Plant samples were collected at two growing stages and were chemically analyzed in laboratory. Data were analyzed by using ANOVA and Duncan’s test. The results showed that the forage quality of both species were higher in vegetative growth in comparison with the seed ripening stage. In both phenological stages, for all factors; A. lagopoides had higher forage quality than A. littoralis (p<0.05).