Harvest seeds - white saltbush (Atriplex Leucoclada Boiss)

Common name: Qataf - White Rugh Scientific name: Atriplex Leucoclada Boiss Other names: White Rugh - Syrian Rugh - Shiny Rugh - Turkmen Rugh A small shrub of the Rugh genus belonging to the Chenopodiaceae family from the order Caryophyllales, with a gray stem and dense, evergreen branches exceeding one meter in height. Its leaves are semi-oval, reaching 3 cm in length. It is considered a rare plant with medicinal uses and environmental benefits. • Qataf - White Rugh flower: Its flowers are dense, clustered in spikelets, blooming during the spring season. • Qataf - White Rugh fruit and seeds: Its fruits are capsule-shaped, about 0.5 cm in size, containing brown seeds inside. • Qataf - White Rugh germination season: It is cultivated during spring, and can also be grown year-round in agricultural nurseries. • Suitable climate and soil for Qataf - White Rugh: Qataf is a plant that tolerates salinity and harsh climates, adapting to high temperatures and strong winds. It is cultivated in loamy and clay soils. • How to cultivate Qataf - White Rugh: It reproduces through seeds. A scientific study titled "A Study of the Possibility to Raise Seeds Germination of Atriplex Leucoclada Boiss" was conducted, experimenting on 2000 propagation units divided into five equal groups: control (no treatment), soaking for half an hour in boiling water, soaking for a full hour in boiling water, soaking in concentrated sulfuric acid for 8 minutes, and mechanical treatment by crushing with a mortar and extracting seeds. Results showed that all studied treatments increased the germination rate of the white Rugh units to varying degrees. The mechanical treatment by crushing with a mortar was the most effective in accelerating germination and increasing its rate, raising germination from 7% in the control to 69%. • Its benefits and uses: It has many health benefits, helps remove salinity from soil, and contributes to stabilizing it. It can be used as a fence or plant barriers, but requires care and pruning to maintain a suitable aesthetic shape. • Original habitat of Qataf - White Rugh: Its native habitat is the coastal regions of the Mediterranean basin, as well as temperate Europe. It is also found in some areas within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.