Eight continuous culture fermenters were used in a completely randomized design to evaluate various nutritional values of Kochia (Kochia scoparia) compared with Atriplex (Atriplex dimorphostegia). Dried and pelleted samples (leaves and stems) provided substrate for metabolism by ruminal microbes maintained in a continuous culture fermentation system. Results indicated that there were no differe...

Premise of the study Microsatellite primers were developed to characterize the genetic diversity and structure of the annual herb Atriplex tatarica (Amaranthaceae) and to facilitate ecological and evolutionary studies of A. tatarica and its relatives. Methods and Results Sixteen novel microsatellite primers were developed for A. tatarica based on high-throughput sequencing of enriched librari...

Numerous species of gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) have been recorded from saltbush (Chenopodiaceae: Atriplex) around the world but only 11 of them belong to the large cecidomyiid genus Asphondylia. Of these, two species were described in the late 19th century from complex bud galls on Atriplex halimus in the Mediterranean Basin. In the present study Asphondylia punica is redescribed, A. ...

Two species of Atriplex were grown under low temperature (8 C day/6 C night) and high temperature (28 C day/20 C night) regimes. The photosynthetic capacity of these plants was studied as a function of temperature in a leaf gas exchange cuvette. Both species showed substantial photosynthetic capacity between 4 and 10 C and this was not enhanced by growth at low temperatures but rather, was some...

There is a surplus of Atriplex nummularia Lindl. grazing that can be used as animal feed. This material was harvested to assess the effects on intake, growth, and carcass characteristics of kids. Atriplex replaced alfalfa hay (Medicago sativa L.) in a proportion of 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% for 60 creole kids weighing 13 kg and was assigned to the diets in a completely randomized design. The p...

The efficiency of livestock production in shortgrass steppe may be increased by grazing fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens [Pursh] Nutt)-dominated rangeland in late fall and/or early spring, but there is a paucity of information concerning stocking rates and animal gains. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of light and moderate stocking rates on weight gains of heifers gr...