Utilization of camelthorn (Alhagi maurorum) to produce organic rain-fed watermelon to promote the sustainable development of the agricultural sector in arid and semi-arid regions

Iran, due to its special geographical location in arid and semi-arid regions, has particular plants and weeds that in general, may be considered worthless and harmful plants. Camelthorn is known as one of these plants. The use of camelthorn to produce an organic rainfed watermelon had been common for many years in some provinces of the country, including Khuzestan, Fars, Yazd, Isfahan and Khorasan. But it has been gradually forgotten due to the introduction of easy access and low price chemical fertilizers and the implementation of government policies to guide local people to plant special crops. In this method, first, an appropriate diameter camelthorn bush is selected, then by scratching a certain part of the stem, watermelon seeds are placed in it; under these conditions, watermelon seeds provide water and other nutrients from the host plant which has deep roots. The results show that the obtained product by the above method has high quality, and despite the perception of some local people, who expected a salty taste for this product, it is sweet and it has medicinal properties. Thus, in the desert, an agricultural product that contains ۹۲% of water can be produced just by using the valuable experiences of the past. Perhaps it is time to make our contribution to the prosperity of sustainable agriculture by using sustainable and healthy techniques and inputs, in the time that the major agricultural products are contaminated with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The knowledge of the predecessors can increase productivity and create a sustainable environment for organic products with high nutritional and economical value and it can be used to improve the living conditions of local people.

Keywords:

Indigenous knowledge , Sustainable agriculture , watermelon , Camelthorn , Organic