EFFECT OF THE INCUBATION (BIOLOGICAL DIGESTION) OF SEEDS OF SOME SAHARAN PASTORAL PLANTS IN THE RUMEN OF THE DROMEDARY ON THEIR GERMINATION

H TRABELSI; A CHEHMA; S BEN YOUCEF; B TLIBA

H TRABELSI niversité Kasdi Merbah Ouargla , Laboratoire des Bio-ressources Sahariennes :Préservation et Valorisation, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Algérie
A CHEHMA Université Kasdi Merbah Ouargla , Laboratoire des Bio-ressources Sahariennes :Préservation et Valorisation, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Algérie
S BEN YOUCEF Département des sciences biologiques, Université Kasdi Merbah-Ouargla (Algérie).
B TLIBA Département des sciences biologiques, Université Kasdi Merbah-Ouargla (Algérie).

Keywords: Biological digestion, Camel, Seeds, Germination, Pastoral saharan plants

Abstract

The dromedary is particularly well adapted to life in dry regions where under extreme temperature conditions their forages become both scarcely available and minimally digestible. The object of our study is to show the effect of incubation of seeds of some Saharan pastoral plants in the rumen of dromedaries (simulation of artificial biological digestion) on their ability to germinate. For this, we have selected 12 of the most popular plant species to the dromedary, belonging to 8 botanical families. These seeds were incubated in ruminal fluid for 48 hours at 38 ºC in the dark. followed by germination of the seeds after recovery, in comparison with the control. The results obtained showed the recovery of intact seeds of 08 species, undigested or altered, despite the reputation of the efficiency of ruminal microflora camel.In addition, we recorded the positive effect of incubation on the germination of seeds of these 07 species in which germination has reached the maximum compared to the control. In general , it appears that the passage of the seeds in the digestive tract of the dromedary may improve germination of most of the species ingested , even if it can occasionally other species digest