FAO PLANT PRODUCTION AND PROTECTION PAPER25
Cover
prosopis tamarugo: fodder tree for arid zones

CONTENTS


by


mario a. habit

with the cooperation of


david contreras t.
and roberto h. gonzález


regional programme for the production of basic foods
regional office for latin america


Originally published in Spanish, 1980, by the FAO Regional Office for Latin America, Santiago, Chile English version published 1981


The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.


M-11
ISBN 92-5-101055-2


The copyright in this book is vested in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, by any method or process, without written permission from the copyright holder. Applications for such permission, with a statement of the purpose and extent of the reproduction desired, should be addressed to the Director, Publications Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy.


AUTHORS

Mario A. Habit:FAO Regional Plant Production and Protection Officer for Latin America. Much of his life has been devoted to research on fodder and animal production in arid and semi-arid climates. In 1963, as Executive Director of the National Programme for Livestock Development in Chile, he began research on combined forestry and grazing systems with tamarugo in the most northern part of the country.
David Contreras T:Professor in the Department of Agronomy at the University of Chile, he has done research on the use of fodder shrubs. He is a known ecologist specializing in arid zones. In the capacity of FAO consultant, he prepared a bibliographical study on what is known about tamarugo, which provided the basis for this report.
Roberto H. González:Professor in the Department of Agronomy at the University of Chile. Former FAO officer in charge of integrated pest control in the Plant Protection Service at FAO Headquarters in Rome. He has made an active contribution by editing this manuscript and, particularly, by revising the chapter on entomology.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation wishes to thank all those who contributed, directly or indirectly, to the achievement of this work. It also wishes to thank the institutions which offered support or technical documents, among which were the Corporación de Fomento de la Producción, the CORFO Sociedad Agrícola Ltda., the Iquique and Antofagasta Branches of the University of Chile, and the Universidad del Norte.

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF TDE UNITED NATIONS
Rome © FAO 1981


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CONTENTS

FOREWORD

INTRODUCTION

PART ONE: BACKGROUND

  1.   The Genus Prosopis

Floristic description

Prosopis species

Most important species

  2.   The Tamarugal Pampa of Chile: Launching a Combined Forestry and Grazing Project

Great Northern Chile

The initial project

PART TWO: PROSOPIS TAMARUGO, Phil

  3.   Description

Productive life of Tamarugo

  4.   Growth and Productivity

Growth

Productivity

  5.   Physiology of Tamarugo

Water use

  6.   Planting and Management

Planting techniques

Tamarugo forest management

Fruit production

  7.   Entomological Research

Insects and mites attacking fruit and flowers

Insects destroying inflorescences

Insect pests damaging fruit and seed

Pollinating insects

Authothonous or native pollinators

Introduced pollinators

Insect pest activities

Chemical control of tamarugo pests

  8.   Associated Flora and Fauna

Associated flora

Associated fauna (vertebrates)

PART THREE: ANIMAL PRODUCTION

  9.   Fodder Production

Nutritive value of the tamarugo

10.   Species and Breeds Tested

11.   Stockfeeding

Vitamin requirements

Mineral supplements

Sanitary control

12.   Carrying Capacity

13.   Production Potential

PART FOUR: PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TAMARUGAL PAMPA

14.   Climate

15.   Geomorphology

Background

Geomorphological evolution

16.   Soils

Series: tamarugo

Desert soils with salt crusts

Study on soil analysis

17.   Hydrology

Groundwater balance of the watershed

ANNEXES:

 I.    General instructions for sowing and planting tamarugo

II.    Climatic data from the Tamarugal Pampa

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Photographs: Professor D. Contreras.