Impact of No-Till on physicochemical properties of Vertisols in Chaouia region of Morocco

Authors : Rachid ABOUTAYEB, Brahim EL YOUSFİ, Oussama EL GHARRAS

Pages : 119-125

Doi:10.18393/ejss.663502

View : 55 | Download : 8

Publication Date : 2020-04-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Conservation agriculture insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(CA); relies on low soil disturbance, mulching, and crop rotation, and these characteristics present CA as a good candidate to control soil degradation and preserve soil fertility. Therefore, agricultural scientists promote it as an efficient technique to sustain agricultural production. Conventional tillage insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(CT); dominates many semi-arid regions of Morocco, like Chaouia. However, crop/livestock management worsens degradation of soil organic matter and thus soil fertility. Since the eighties’, controlled experimental trials tried to promote No-Till insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(NT); system in these regions. But it is still experiencing a low level of adoption. This on-farm research study aimed to evaluate NT effect on some Vertisols` physicochemical properties of this region. Analysis of variance only found a significant NT effect on soil organic matter insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(SOM);, but factorial analysis provided evidence of a behavior of its effect on several physicochemical properties such as active limestone insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(CaCO3);, total nitrogen insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(TN);, nitrate insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(NO3-);, calcium insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Ca2+);, potassium insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(K+); and cation exchange capacity insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(CEC);. Furthermore, pH, Electrical Conductivity insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(EC); and sodium insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Na+); did not show any significant difference between the two tillage treatments. This study also found that continuous cereal cropping with no mulching management mostly explains this low improvement in soil quality. This last approach, reduce CA to NT process. To promote CA in these regions, more efforts are still needed for a satisfactory up-scaling and a sustainable soil fertility conservation.
Keywords : Conservation agriculture, Morocco, No Till, on farm research, semi arid region, soil quality

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