Sawsan Hassan

Cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) fruits are increasingly in demand by consumers in Jordan and across the Mediterranean region. For many decades, the only cactus pear fruit available in local markets were the yellow-orange fruits...

Spineless forage cactus can be a cost-effective solution for the livestock keepers of semi-arid tropics by providing a stable source of nutritive forage capable of maintaining healthy and productive herds/flocks especially during lean periods...

Arid and semi-arid lands are considered unsuitable for crop production because they require substantial amounts of water and additional nutrients. However, certain species can perform well and enhance the livelihoods of poor farmers. In the semi-arid...

As livestock is an important component of livelihoods in the arid regions of Kutch in Gujarat, India, smallholder farmers have difficulties in cultivating fodder crops during the driest seasons of the year. Water scarcity in arid regions can...

In Kutch (Gujarat District, India), there is a growing concern about the lack of good quality forage owing to the arid climate and poor soil health. Opuntia ficus-indica has been increasingly recognized as a drought-resilient forage in arid Kutch...

This study aims to evaluate the nutritive value of Ajuga iva (A. iva) harvested from three distinct altitude regions in Tunisia (Dougga, Mograne, and Nabeul). The chemical composition, phenolic concentration, gas production, and in vitro dry matter...

Scrub rangelands support livestock grazing and provide ecosystem services to their inhabitants. The present study was conducted in Chakwal, an important tract of the Pothwar Plateau, which sustains herds of small domestic and nomadic ruminants...

Watershed rangelands in Northern Afghanistan provide various ecosystem services that support the local people’s livelihoods, but they are now highly degraded essentially due to the continuous high grazing pressure and recurrent droughts. Effects of...

Cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) can survive extreme environmental condition and is known for its fodder potential in many parts of the world. The morphological diversity of 15 introduced accessions was evaluated at Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh...

Livestock are critical for incomes, livelihoods, nutrition and ecosystems management throughout the global South. Livestock production and the consumption of livestock-based foods such as meat, cheese, and milk is, however, under global scrutiny for...

Rangelands of Tunisia show a great indigenous species diversity with considerable potential as forage for livestock. However, information on their fodder yield and quality is scanty and restricted to few species. The objective of the study was to...

Study of appropriate planting time and response to agronomic management practices is imperative for the newly introduced cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) into a semi-arid region of India. Responses of cactus pear to agronomic practices...

Climate change and degradation of natural resources pose daunting challenges in arid and semi-arid rangelands of southern Mediterranean region. Overcoming these challenges requires considerable management actions efforts. In this context, the current...

The study investigated the e_ect of soil volume restriction on the below- and above-ground growth of Opuntia ficus-indica through understanding the limit imposed by root confinement via di_erent soil volumes on root and canopy architecture and growth...

Climate change poses a significant threat to agroecosystems, especially in the dry areas, characterized by abrupt precipitation pattern and frequent drought events. Ideal crops, tolerant to these events, such as cactus, can perform well under such...

Climate change poses a significant threat to agroecosystems, especially in the dry areas,
characterized by abrupt precipitation pattern and frequent drought events. Ideal crops, tolerant to
these events, such as cactus, can perform well under such...

Direct seeding techniques often result in unsatisfactory outcomes in rangeland rehabilitation, primarily because of low seedling emergence and poor establishment. Seed processing techniques aimed at improving seedling emergence have gained interest...

The objective of this study was to investigate farmers' adoption of sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.) cultivation in northern Tunisia. Sulla adoption at farmer level and farmers‟ perception about the role of sulla were investigated through a survey of...

Livestock production in arid and semi-arid regions is facing the challenges of low and erratic rainfall, poor nutrient soils, and high temperatures, which all contribute to inadequate forage production to support livestock. Under these challenging...

Despite the importance of fodder shrubs to small ruminant diets and production in arid and semiarid ecosystems, they are often not considered when quantifying grazing land potential. This oversight is mainly due to the time consuming and costly...

The nutritive value of opuntia [(Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.] in combination with conventional fodders was assessed on 32 adult sheep, divided into 4 equal groups. The experimental diets consisted of chopped (5-8 cm) green opuntia cladodes (150 g...

Controlled grazing is considered a good management strategy to maintain or increase the live weight of livestock and to reduce vegetation degradation of rangelands. The present study investigated soil characteristics, aboveground vegetation biomass...

Seedlings of Artemisia herba-alba grown in glasshouse were watered with differing salinities (0, 150, 250 or 350 mM NaCI) and watering frequencies of 3, 7, 14 or 21 days for a period of 6 weeks. At the end of the study, plant survival, dry matter...

Proper soil preparation provides the basis for good seed
germination and establishment of steppe vegetation in
the arid and semi-arid areas of West Asia and North
Africa. Salsola vermiculata is a key shrub species of the
region and contributes to...

Digital elevation models (DEM) can be used to derive a wealth of information about land surface morphology. When analyzed using GIS information about stream channels and watersheds it can determine the flow of water over the Earth’s surface...

Variations in days to flowering and pod maturity, harvest index, as well as yields of hay, grain, and straw among 25 bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia L) accessions were examined over four cropping seasons in a non-tropical dryland environment in north...

The objective was to identify legume shrub species for development of agroforestry technologies based on seed and forage (leaves and twigs