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Performance of Soft Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Under Two Management Systems 'No-Till' and 'Conventional' in a Low Rainfall Semi-Arid Mediterranean Area of Morocco

El Mzouri Mohamed Amine, El Mzouri El Houssine, Karima Samir

Ecological Engineering & Environmental Technology

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2023

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Vol. 24, iss. 8

172--180

EN

The objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in farmers' fields under No-till farming compared to conventional farming with two management practices: 'Research recommended' vs 'Local farmers' practices. The study was conducted over a period of three cropping seasons in the Chaouia plain in Western Morocco, a Mediterranean semi-arid area with low rainfall. Trials were set up in a split-plot design with two factors: (1) management method (No-till vs. Conventional), and (2) practices (research recommended vs. Farmers' local practices), with four replications and were carried out at four farmers' fields (sites). Data collected included: stand density, canopy height, average number of tillers per plant, number of spikes per plant, biological yield, grain yield and harvest index. The results obtained show a significant effect of climatic years on the measured parameters. No-till system significantly improved yield components, canopy height, biological yield, and grain yield, particularly in dry years. No-till as practiced by farmers (C2) improved biological and grain yields, respectively, by 18 and 42% compared with farmers’ current local practices (C1). These gains were, respectively, 83% and 142%, for the research recommended package under No-till, those of the research recommended package under conventional management (without direct seeding), were 61% and 81% for the biological and the grain yields, respectively. The harvest index increased from 27% under the current conventional farmers’ local management (C1), to 31% with the research recommended package under the same management mode. Under No-till management, this index increased to 33% with local practices (C2) and 36% with the research recommended packages. No-till system can be a adaptative and resilient practice for wheat cultivation in the low rain fall semi-arid areas impacted by climate change, but farmers should consider the adoption of the whole No-till system, rather than limiting themselves solely to the zero-till seeder technique.

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Effects of plastic film mulching on soil nematodes and soil quality at different growth stages of maize planted in semiarid areas of China

Li Bing, Wang Yongcui, Li Xiaolan, Liu Bing

Polish Journal of Ecology

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2022

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Vol. 70, nr 2-3

103--116

EN

Plastic mulching is considered as a simple, yet effective land management measure to modify microclimate in semi-arid areas. However, the influence of plastic mulching on local soil nematodes and soil quality needs to be investigated more deeply. To fill the knowledge gap, we compared the characteristics of soil nematode communities (density, trophic structure), soil enzyme activities, soil physicochemical properties, and their relationships between maize fields cultivated with use of plastic film mulching and no film mulching, under the same land conditions in Chifeng region, Inner Mongolia. The results showed that the total number of nematodes in most of the film mulched (FM) fields was lower than in no film mulched (nFM) fields. Most of soil chemical properties showed no significant difference between nFM samples and FM samples. Only 0–10 cm soil layer in nFM samples had significantly higher urease activity than in FM samples in June. Plastic film mulching may have an adverse effect on soil quality. Thus, the correct and effective use of plastic film mulch is one of the important measures for future agricultural development in semiarid areas.

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Analysis of Historical Precipitation in Semi-Arid Areas – Case Study of the Amman Zarqa Basin

Shatanawi Khaldoun, Mohammad Alsharifa Hind, Odeh Taleb, Arafeh Mazen, Halalsheh Maha, Kassab Ghada

Journal of Ecological Engineering

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2022

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Vol. 23, nr 8

101--111

EN

Climate change is determined as a severe threat to water resource availability in Semi-Arid Areas. Therefore, it is crucial to examine the drought trends to develop and sustain water resources. This study evaluates the effects of climate change in Jordan by investigating the long-term precipitation trends in the Amman Zarqa Basin over the water from 1971 to 2016. Daily precipitation data were gathered to analyze different rainfall stations over and around the basin. The standardized precipitation index (SPI) variations were investigated at monthly intervals. Control charts, hypothesis testing, T-test, differences of variances, and trend analysis were used to determine climatic trends. The analysis results showed that 2003 marks an acceleration point in the precipitation decrease rate; therefore, the SPI showed a decrease and a high DI for the area in the tested year 2005 and 2010 to be a mild drought in the following years. Additionally, a change in the precipitation pattern was observed as seasonal precipitation contribution varied for the pre-2003 period compared to the post-2003 period. The SPI results show that 1995 reflects the higher drought periods, and the following years showed mild drought events; nevertheless, the year 2016 displayed lower drought events, reflecting wet events.

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Tillage, Residues Management, and Nitrogen Fertilization Effects on Soil Organic Status, Soil Quality, and Soft Wheat in the Moroccan Semi-Arid

Et-Tayeb Hiba, Ibno Namr Khalid, El Mzouri El Houssine, El Bourhrami Bouchra, Moussadek Rachid

Ecological Engineering & Environmental Technology

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2022

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Vol. 23, iss. 2

173--184

EN

Sustainable management of agricultural practices can improve soil organic status, soil quality (SQ), and yields. The study was conducted to test the impact of tillage (conventional (CT) and no-till (NT)), residues (vetch (C1) and uncover soil (C0)), and three nitrogen (N) fertilization rates (30, 60, and 90 N kg ha-1) on soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (N), C/N ratio, soft wheat yields and SQ. The experiment was established in 2010 in the Moroccan semi-arid. After ten years, the SOC concentration was greater under NT (9.4 g/kg) compared to CT (8.4 g/kg). Crop residues also enhanced SOC (10 g/kg) contrary to C0 (8.1 g/kg). Application of N fertilization showed profound effects on total N, increasing levels of N fertilization led to higher total N irrespective of tillage. Crop residues increased total N (0.6 g/kg) better than C0 plots at the horizon 20–40 cm. Soft wheat revealed an improvement under NT (4213.8 kg ha-1) versus CT (3785.6 kg ha-1) and it responded positively to the N application. For SQ evaluation through the indexing methods (SQI), principal component analysis was done for eight soil indicators to select the minimum data set (MDS), which were subsequently normalized and integrated into the SQI, additive (SQIANL), and weighted (SQIWNLM). NT revealed higher scores (0.52; 0.6) than the CT (0.46; 0.53) for SQIANL and SQIWNL, respectively, at the horizon 0–20 cm. the residues layer on the soil surface improved SQIWNL score (0.59) compared to C0 (0.55). Moreover, the correlation (r) with yield and the sensitivity (S), allowed us to choose SQIWNL, as the best index (highest r and S) to evaluate SQ under different practices studied. Indeed, SQIWNL revealed an intermediate SQ under NT and at C1 treatments, compared to CT and C0 (low SQ).

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Application of Soil Quality Index to Assess the Status of Soils Submitted to Intensive Agriculture in the Irrigated Plain of Doukkala, Moroccan Semiarid Region

El Bourhrami Bouchra, Ibno Namr Khalid, Et-Tayeb Hiba, Duraisamy Vasu

Ecological Engineering & Environmental Technology

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2022

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Vol. 23, iss. 2

129--143

EN

In the irrigated areas, intensive agriculture has led to soil degradation and declining crop yields; therefore, the durability of soil resources is influenced. In order to assess the soil quality changes in the Zemamra area from the highest plain of Doukkala (523 000 ha), in the semi-arid region of Morocco, the soil samples taken from the horizon 0–30 cm were analysed for physical and chemical parameters (Clay, Sand, Silt, SOM, pH, TN, P2O5, K2O, CEC, MgO, CaO, SAR, Na2O, EC, CaCO3, NO3-N, NH4-N, B, Mn, Zn, Fe, and Cu). The data obtained were statistically processed to search for soil quality indices (SQIs). The main findings show that the soil surface has more sand than clay (Sand = 55%, Clay = 31%), an accumulation of phosphorus (P2O5 = 33.34 mg/kg), moderate soil organic matter (1.789%), and carbonate contents of about (2.6%). Soil Structure Stability Index (SSSI<5%) indicated that soil structure is degraded. The selection of the Minimum Data Set by principal component analysis allowed retaining four indicators (cationic exchange capacity, boron, exchangeable potassium, and manganese). After scoring the selected indicators, the soil quality indices thus obtained classified the soils as having low to moderate quality (SQIs<0.55). The indicators: sand, phosphorus, boron, manganese, and zinc are negatively correlated to SQIs, while clay, silt, cationic exchange capacity, pH, soil organic matter, and carbonates are positively correlated. Micronutrients: boron and zinc negatively impact soils at low concentrations.

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Assessment of the SWAT Model and the Parameters Affecting the Flow Simulation in the Watershed of Oued Laou (Northern Morocco)

Aqnouy Mourad, El Messari Jamal Eddine Stitou, Ismail Hilal, Bouadila Abdelmounim, Moreno Navarro Jesús Gabriel, Loubna Bounab, Mansour Mohammed Reda Aoulad

Journal of Ecological Engineering

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2019

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Vol. 20, nr 4

104--113

EN

This study evaluated the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model performance for modeling the portioning of rainfall in the Laou watershed (area: 940 km2) that extended over two different climatic settings in Morocco, (the Mediterranean sub-humid and the semi-arid). This research also investigated the significant parameters that affect the stream flow simulation. SWAT model was constructed during the period from 2004 to 2011. The modeled stream flow data was manually calibrated using flow gauges daily from 2004 to 2008 and validated for the volumetric flows from 2009 to 2011. SWAT model results indicate that 60% of the stream is provided by the base flow. The sensitivity analysis showed that out of 28 parameters, only 6 revealed meaningful effects on the flow simulation (CN2, ESCO, SOL_AWC, ALPHA_BF, CH_N2, CH_k2) and have the most significant influence. The model proved to be very sensitive to the base flow. Furthermore our outcome indicates that SWAT can successfully replicate the daily stream flows in Laou watershed with Nash-Sutcliffe (NSE) coefficients in the range of 0.76–0.84, R2 of 0.74–0.82, RSR of 0.52–0.41 and PBIS of 12.24–8.93 respectively. In addition SWAT was found to be suitable for both climatic regions in Laou watershed. These results reinforced the multi-functionality and reliability of SWAT as a hydrological model and a relevant tool for water resources management and controls.

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Water erosion and supply of material for fluvial transport under episodic surface flow conditions in the semi-arid zone on Boa Vista (Cabo Verde)

Gierszewski P., Rodzik J.

Landform Analysis

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2003

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Vol. 4

49--58

EN

This paper presents the effects of the natural conditions of the semi-arid zone on the tem-poral and spatial variability of production and supply of material for fluvial transport under conditions of episodic surface flow. Based on measurements of water runoff, concentration of suspension and dissolved material in the course of a one-hour rainfall, it has been determined that the catchments under study have a considerable resistance to the effects of water erosion. Some protection is supplied by the ablation pavement, which reduces rainsplash and slopewash and prevents flow concentration. Consid-erably more erosion has been noted on unpaved roads concentrating water flow even on plateaux and gently inclined slopes. Obviously the potential for leaching rock material in short-duration flow is limited. Large proportions of the dissolved material carried away from the catchments are salts of marine and aeolian provenance. The high intensity of erosional processes in the early phase of runoff is evidence of the role of physical weathering between rainfalls, which supplies the material for fluvial transport.