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Abstract

This paper reviews the existing research on Sideroxylon mascatense, and provides an argument for being considered a fruit crop in cultivated production systems in the Sultanate of Oman and elsewhere. Climate change due to global warming has adverse effects on the agro-ecosystems of mountain regions in marginal climate zones. For example, in the Western Hajar Mountains of Oman, yields of the temperate fruit crops have decreased in recent years as temperature and other climate anomalies have increased. Other fruit-bearing wild plants have also been impacted by extreme weather fluctuations, particularly those that occupy a narrow altitudinal range. One such plant is S. mascatense, a currently underutilized fruiting plant found growing in the wild all through the Middle East and other arid mountainous regions. Two fruiting types of S. mascatense are found in Oman, both of which are seasonally wild harvested by mountain inhabitants and sold in markets as well as along the roadsides. While some specimens exist in cultivated areas, propagation and new plantings are non-existent. Regeneration in the wild is also in decline in Oman, possibly due to climate change. Increasing S. mascatense populations could be achieved via propagation, as well as commercial cultivation, although further research is needed into cropping systems and best practice methods.

Keywords

Oman Mountains Oasis Agriculture Agroforestry Climate Change Native Plants.

Article Details

Author Biography

Eric Hopkins, Sultan Qaboos University

Ph.D. Candidate

Crop Sciences Department

SQU

How to Cite
Hopkins, E., & Al Yahyai, R. (2020). Sideroxylon mascatense: A new crop for high elevation arid climates?. Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences [JAMS], 25, 02–08. Retrieved from https://journals.squ.edu.om/index.php/jams/article/view/3466
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