Investigaciones sobre la flora forrajera natural en mejoras de pastos, restauración forestal, y silvicultura preventiva con ganado: una experiencia piloto en Sierra Nevada

Abstract

Some of the results of the project funded by the OAPN on the natural forage flora of the Sierra Nevada Natural Area are presented, in relation to its possibilities of technical utilization in the improvement of natural pastures, restoration of degraded areas, management and protection of the Mediterranean rangelands. This study focuses on a pilot area of the Natural Area (Lanjarón) affected by a fire (2005) of 3,425 ha. Its general objective has been to collaborate in the restoration plan of the area and to incorporate to the forestry management some activities for preventive silviculture with livestock management; and the specific objectives were: to select legumes from natural pastures, analyze their nutritional characteristics, their germination limitations, and elucidate the incidence of different fertilization methods (including micro-organisms of the rhizosphere) in the establishment of the selected species, all of which in field conditions. For this purpose, «seed sources» have been georeferenced in the territory in which to collect the species, seed scarification techniques has been tested, analysis of their nutritional value (classical and antioxidants) has been carried on, nodular bacteria have been isolated, production (forage and seeds) has been estimated, testing different techniques of soil fertilization (sheep penning, mycorrhization and bacterial inocula), in order to ensure its establishment in the field. The results showed higher nutritional value of the genera Vicia and Lathyrus, although Trifolium cherleri presented good content of total and non-enzymatic antioxidants; threshing is the most effective method to promote germination; the rhizobia proposed for fertilization trials are Rhizobium leguminosarum and Sinorhizobium meliloti; sheep penning is the most effective method of fertilization and the genus Vicia was the most productive (forage and seeds); for this reason and for its greater nutritional value we consider that the species of this genus are the most appropriate for the ecological restoration from the rangelands