Wild species diversity in rainfed barley in the western Mediterranean coastal area of Egypt

Abstract EN

Barley fields represent the most fertile area of the western coastal area and surrounded by vast area of uncultivated semi- desert.

Fourteen weed species (18% of the total recorded species) were recorded in the Nile fed cultivated area.

Specific Mediterranean elements were recorded in this study, of these: Narcissus tazette, Urginea maritime, Onopordium alexandrinum, Anemone coronaria, Ornithgallum trichophyllum, Deliphinum peregrinum, Anacyllus monthos, Scrzonera alexandrina, Lycium europaeum and Carrichtera annua.

Therophytes are the main life form representing 61% of the total recorded species.

Application of TWINSPAN and DECORANA classification and ordination techniques to the obtained data have produced four groups.

Group A which is characterized by Deverra tortuosa as the indicator species.

The group B has no indicator species Group (C) is characterized by Arisarum vulgare as indicator species.

Group (D) includes Achillea santolina and Calendula arvensis as indicator species.

Soil factors in relation to vegetation groups indicate highly significant correlation with cation (sodium) and anion (bicarbonate). Vegetation group C is characterized by high richness value (46 species) and high species diversity (3.8 ±0.01) while group A has low richness value (10 species) and low species diversity (2.30 ± 0.045).

In the last 50 years, the main floristic studies in the area along the Mediterranean coastal area were compared with this study.

Seventy-six species were recorded with Deverra tortuosa as new association.