MACRO-MINERAL STATUS AT THREE PHENOLOGICAL STAGES OF SOME RANGE SHRUBS OF GADOON HILLS, DISTRICT SWABI, KHYBER PUKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the macro-mineral status of some shrubs species at three phenological stages which are commonly grazed by livestock in Gadoon hills, District Swabi, Pakistan. Eight shrubs species viz., Berberis lycium, Debregeasia salicifolia, Dodonaea viscosa, Gymnosporia royleana, Indigofera heterantha, Justicia adhatoda, Rosa moschata and Zizyphus nummularia were analyzed for Ca, K, Mg, Na, and N contents. Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium and Nitrogen contents differed significantly among the shrubs and among all phenological stages except Debregeasia and Indigofera in which the Ca concentration was similar. Potassium contents differed significantly among the various investigated shrubs but such difference was not found among the different phenological stages. Gymnosporia showed extremely low nitrogen contents than all other shrubs. The reproductive stage of Indigofera contained highest amount of nitrogen among all the shrubs. The present study showed that macro-mineral contents were quite high in all the tested shrubs at all the phenological stages, which generally might fulfill the requirement of grazing animals.