Annual forage legumes in dryland agricultural systems of the West Asia and North Africa Regions: research achievements and future perspective
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Serkan Ates, David Feindel, Abd El Moneim, John Ryan. (30/11/2013). Annual forage legumes in dryland agricultural systems of the West Asia and North Africa Regions: research achievements and future perspective. Grass and Forage Science, 69, pp. 17-31.
Abstract
Forage legumes are vitally important to animal production
in the dryland farming systems of the Mediterranean
region. Of the diverse forage-legume species
adapted to the Mediterranean climate, vetches, (Vicia
spp.), chicklings (Lathyrus spp.), annual medics (Medicago
spp), clovers (Trifolium spp.) and species of the Lupinus,
Lotus, Onobrychis, Hedysarum and Ornithopus genera are
considered to be the most agronomically important and
economically valuable species for the region. Adoption
of perennial self-regenerating medic (Medicago spp.) has
been limited because of technical difficulties, but
annual vetch (Vicia spp.) has the greatest potential as a
viable animal-feed source and a rotation crop with
cereals. Some forage legumes survive harsh conditions
by their unique underground growth habit, for example,
V. amphicarpa and Lathyrus ciliolatus. Efforts to
improve forage legumes have been based on both management/
cultural factors and breeding. Research based
on several long-term barley- and wheat-based rotation
trials has demonstrated the viability of forage legumes,
especially vetch, in the region’s improved farming system.
An additional benefit to such legumes is the
enhancement of soil quality, that is, soil fertility, soil
organic matter and soil physical properties. Thus, the
development of forage legumes is essential to agricultural
sustainability in the Mediterranean region and in
other dryland cereal-growing areas of the world where
grazing livestock is a dominant enterprise. To build
upon the considerable research conducted on forages,
intensified efforts are needed to develop locally adapted
forage cultivars, to provide economic assessment of forages
in cropping systems and to promote technology
transfer at the farm and community level.
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Ates, Serkan https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6825-3248