Periodical Changes of some Nutrients of Seven Atriplex spp. Grown Under the Arid Conditions of Saudi Arabia.

Land plants depend on the absorption of mineral ions from the soil due to their requirement for nutrient ions, which are incorporated into or complexed with organic molecules in the cytoplasm and metabolic of living cells, and non-nutrient ions, which play a role in regulation and ionic balance. A field experiment was carried out to determine the content of some minerals of seven Atriplex spp. throughout the year. Atriplex species under study were Atriplex halimus L., A. nummularia Lindley, A. canescens James, A. undulata Dictr., A. lentiformis ( Torr. ) S. Wats, A. polycarpa S. Wats, and A. leacoclada Boiss. Samples were defoliated bimonthly for two years to determine phosphorous, sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Results repeated that defoliation dates for all tested species had significant effect on all studied parameters in each year and the two years average. The interaction between species X defoliation date was highly significant for each year and the two years average. A. undulata sp. had the highest concentration of Na, Ca2+and Me2+ and the lowest concentration of P anion and K+. Species which had higher concentration of sodium exhibited lower concentration of potassium