Fibre plants of arid regions of North Africa

Stipa tenacissima L. grows in the Algerian semiarid zones and in Mediterranean countries. It plays an ecological role because it slows down desertification. Their fibre provides a paper of excellent quality; it is also used in the confections of many craft products. Lygeum spartum L. and Aristida pungens Desf. are psammophile, and they grow in arid regions. Their leaves possess fibres that are rich in cellulose. The three plants cover 3 million ha in the Algerian high plateaus. The morphometric tests to evaluate the length of fibres show that the average length of the fibres is 0.30 mm for Stipa tenacissima, 1.70 mm for Lygeum spartum and 1.71 mm for Aristida pungens. The cell wall is pluristratified; the biochemical analysis shows that Stipa tenacissima leaves contain 35.5% of cellulose, Lygeum spartum leaves contain 32% of cellulose and Aristida pungens leaves contain 15% of cellulose. The percentage of hemicelluloses is 47.5 in Stipa tenacissima, 40.7 in Lygeum spartum and 60.5 in Aristida pungens. The pectins represent 3.98% in Stipa tenacissima, 4.01% in Lygeum spartum and 7.9% in Aristida pungens. Currently, these species are in decline because of climatic and anthropogenic conditions (unregulated urbanization, pastoralism …). The first studies have shown that these perennial species can be regenerated by their seeds. The cultivation would offer new perspectives in the socioeconomic and sustainable development of arid regions and the country.