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International Conference on

Recent Trends in Environmental Sustainability

ESCON22/SAgri/04
Pancratium maritimum , halophyte plant from Northern Tunisian can be considered as
alternative fodder in saline agroecosystems

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1,2
2
Sonia Mbarki* , Saida Nasri , Asma Aamar
1 Laboratory of management and valorization of forest resources. National Research Institute
for Rural Engineering, Water and Forestry (INRGREF). Hedi Karray-2049-Ariana. Tunisia.
2 Laboratory of animal production and fodder, National Institute of Agronomic Research of
Tunisia, Hedi Karray-2049-Ariana. Tunisia.
Correspondence: mbarkisonia14@gmail.com
Abstract

Soil salinity is one of the utmost abiotic stresses in the world. It severely limits yields and
threatens land productivity in arid and semi-arid regions of the Mediterranean area, which leads
to a reduction in cultivable areas and represents a threat to the environmental balance of these
regions. The identification of more adapted species and the selection of variety tolerant to
salinity would remain the most efficient economic way for the exploitation of the salt-affected
lands. P. maritimum L. is one of the best-known endangered species in its natural habitats due
to urbanization, tourism development and overharvesting. The aim of this research is to study
the physiological and biochemical characteristics and their evolutions in the different
vegetative stages of a plant from the northern Tunisian coast (Pancratium maritimum). The
results showed significant differences in the behavior of the plant depending on the stage of
growth. The mature stage showed the highest biomass production as well as the growth in
length. Thus, this plant maintained high relative leaf water contents (90.19%) and it is
considered as a species resistant to drought and salinity. In addition, germination of seeds under
different salt concentrations to enhance the ability of the plant to adapt to high salt
concentrations (200 mM NaCl) showed a slow cycle of germination of the plant. This plant is
rich in vegetable fibers and polyphenols, so the seeds are loaded with total nitrogenous matter
(TMA) from which it is suggested as a fodder plant.

Keywords: Soil salinity; P. maritimum L; TMA

Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus

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