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Domestication of plants for sustainable agriculture in drylands: Experience from the Negev Desert

With globalization in the last century, introduction of exotic plant species for commercial use has become more accessible. Such attempts may involve extreme land changes. We stress that domestication of native species should be preferred to the introduction of exotic species. We took the initial steps in domesticating several species by examining commercial uses and studying aspects of plant physiology. The following desert plants were considered: Bassia indica, for salt phytoremediation and for livestock feed; Commiphora gileadensis, as an agent against cancer cells; Artemisia sieberi and A. judaica, as plants with allopathic traits; Ficus palmate, as a stand for fig plantation; Balanites aegyptiaca, as a medicinal plant and for other uses; Portulaca oleracea and Scorzonera judaica, as food crops with added values; and Pistacia atlantica, as rootstock for P. vera

Keywords: Artemisia; Balanitesaegyptiaca; Bassia indica;Commiphora gileadensis;Ficus palmate; Pistaciaatlantica; plantdomestication; Portulacaoleracea; Scorzonera judaica;sustainable agriculture

(2016) Arid Land Research and Management, 30:2, 209-228 

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15324982.2015.1089954

שמות החוקרים
Oren Shelef, Ofer Guy, Elaine Solowey, Michael Kam, A. Allan Degen & Shimon Rachmilevitch
תאריך פרסום המחקר
01/01/2016
סוג המחקר