Determination of Nutritional Contents at the different Development Stages of Puccinellia distans and Aeluropus littoralis Commonly Growing in Saline-Alkaline Pastures

Stress conditions, especially due to climate and soil, which limit plant growing and diversity can cause important yield and quality losses in plants. However, halophytic species which can adapt to extreme ecological conditions can produce feed material at adequate amounts and quality by continuing to production potential. Our aim was to determine the forage qualities at different developmental stages of Puccinellia distans and Aeluropus littoralis, halofite species, which grow extensively in excessive-salted and alkaline pastures, and to reveal whether they can be evaluated as feed for ruminants in terms of the quality characteristics examined. For this purpose, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, dry matter digestibility, digestible energy, metabolic energy and relative feed values were determined at vegetative, flowering and seed maturation stages of the studied species. The experiment was established in randomized blocks with three replications according to the Split Parsel trial design on a protected 4 da pasture in Igdir conditions between the years of 2012-2013. As a result of the research, all the parameters examined showed significant differences depending on species (except for neutral detergent fibre), phenological stages and years. As a result, it was revealed that A. littoralis can be provided a higher quality feed than P. distans depending on development stages and, also be a good alternative source of fodder for ruminant in saline-grazing