Tillage system affects soil organic carbon storage and quality in Central Morocco

Stabilizing or improving soil organic carbon content is essential for sustainable crop production under changing climate conditions. Therefore, soil organic carbon research is gaining momentum in the Mediterranean basin. Our objective is to quantify effects of no tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) on soil organic carbon stock (SOCs) in three soil types (Vertisol, Cambisol, and Luvisol) within Central Morocco. Chemical analyses were used to determine how tillage affected various humic substances. Our results showed that, after 5 years, surface horizon (0–30 cm) SOC stocks varied between tillage systems and with soil type. The SOCs was significantly higher in NT compared to CT (10% more in Vertisol and 8% more in Cambisol), but no significant difference was observed in the Luvisol. Average SOCs within the 0–30 cm depth was 29.35 and 27.36 Mg ha−1 under NT and CT, respectively. The highest SOCs (31.89 Mg ha−1) was found in Vertisols under NT. A comparison of humic substances showed that humic acids and humin were significantly higher under NT compared to CT, but fulvic acid concentrations were significantly lower. These studies confirm that NT does have beneficial effects on SOCs and quality in these soils

Heat Tolerance of Durum Wheat (Tritcum durum Desf.) Elite Germplasm Tested along the Senegal River

The Senegal River basin (Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal) is a key agricultural production area in sub-Saharan Africa. Here, rice fields are left fallow during the cooler winter season, when the night temperatures reach 16 °C but the maximum daily temperatures remain above 30 °C. This season was used for the first time to conduct multi- environmental trials of durum wheat. Twenty-four elite breeding lines and cultivars were tested for adaptation during seasons 2014-15 and 2015-16 at two stations: Kaedi, Mauritania and Fanaye, Senegal. Phenological traits, grain yield and its components were recorded. Top grain yield was recorded at 5,330 kg ha-1 and the average yield at 2,484 kg ha-1. The season lasted just 90 days from sowing to harvest. Dissection of the yield in its components revealed that biomass and spike fertility (i.e. number of seeds produced per spike) were the most critical traits for adaptation to these warm conditions. This second trait was confirmed in a validation experiment conducted in 2016-17 at the same two sites. Genotype × environment interaction was dissected by AMMI model, and the derived IPC values used to derive an ‘AMMI wide adaptation index’ (AWAI) to asses yield stability. The use of a selection index that combined adjusted means of yield and AWAI identified three genotypes as the most stable and high yielding: ‘Bani Suef 5’, ‘DAWRyT118’, and ‘DAWRyT123’. The last two genotypes were also confirmed among the best in a validation trial conducted in season 2016-17. The data presented here are meant to introduce to the breeding community the use of these two research stations along the Senegal River for assessing heat tolerance of wheat or other winter cereals, as well as presenting two new ideal germplasm sources for heat tolerance, and the identification of spike fertility as the key trait controlling adaptation to heat stress

Le fonctionnement des exploitations agricoles irriguees de la plaine des Doukkala (Maroc)

National audienc

Estimation of rice evapotranspiration using a microlysimeter technique and comparison with FAO Penman-Monteith and Pan evaporation methods under Moroccan conditions

This paper reviews field measurements of evapotranspiration from paddy rice fields (ET) in an experimental station in the Gharb region of Morocco, during the summer seasons in 1995 and 1996. The results showed that the seasonal average water consumption of rice was 6.7 mm $\cdot$ day$^{-1}$ with a maximum value of 8.3 mm $\cdot$ day$^{-1}$ during the panicle enlargement stage (R2). The average daily ET for 1996 was compared with US Class `A' open pan evaporation (Ep) and with reference evapotranspiration (ET$_0$) calculated using a validated FAO Penman-Monteith equation. Both methods gave good estimates of ET with a correlation coefficient of 0.78 ($P < 0.001$, slope = 1.06) with Ep and 0.79 with ET$_0$ ($P < 0.001$, slope = 1.3). The derived mean crop coefficients were 1.06 and 1.3, respectively, for the average of the two years. The cumulated ET over the growing season was nearly equal to the cumulated Ep, and greater by about 20% of cumulated ET$_0$. This superiority might be attributed to an advective energy transferred from areas surrounding the rice zone activated by wind speed.Calcul de l'évapotranspiration du riz sous les conditions marocaines : recherche d'une relation simple entre l'évapotranspiration calculée expérimentalement et l'évapotranspiration de référence estimée à partir de l'équation FAO Penman-Montheith et l'évaporation bac. Cet article traite de l'évapotranspiration du riz (ET) mesurée expérimentalement au niveau du champ dans la région rizicole au nord-ouest du Maroc durant la période estivale de 1995 et 1996. Les résultats obtenus ont été comparés à ceux de l'évaporation à partir d'un bac ouvert class `A' (Ep) et avec l'évapotranspiration de référence calculée à partir de l'équation FAO Penman-Monteith (ET$_0$) calibrée sous les conditions marocaines. Les résultats obtenus ont été comparés à l'ET$_0$ et à l'Ep. Des coefficients culturaux ont été alors établis. Les résultats obtenus ont montré que la moyenne saisonnière des besoins en eau du riz était de 6,7 mm $\cdot$ jour$^{-1}$ avec un maximum atteint de 8,3 mm $\cdot$ j$^{-1}$ durant la deuxième décade du grossissement de la panicule avant l'épiaison. L'ET saisonnière en 1996 a montré une corrélation très hautement significative avec les deux modèles, de 0,78 ($P < 0,001$, pente = 1,06) avec Ep et 0,79 avec ET$_0$ ($P < 0,001$, pente = 1,3). les coefficients culturaux moyens des deux années, étaient respectivement de 1,06 (Kcp = ET $\cdot$ Ep$^{-1}$) et 1,3 (KC$_0$ = ET $\cdot$ ET$_0$$^{-1}$). L'ET cumulée durant la saison de croissance égalise avec l'Ep cumulée et dépasse l'ET$_0$ cumulée de 20 %. Cette supériorité pourrait provenir d'une énergie advective transmise des zones sèches, entourant la zone rizicole, activée par le déplacement des vents

Assessment of livestock farming systems in harsh environment Approaches adopted by farmers through management practice

International audienceL'élevage en milieu difficile tient une place importante dans la production animale à l'échelle mondiale. Ces milieux présentent d'importantes contraintes agro-écologiques, et sont caractérisés par l'ampleur des risques que font peser les variations climatiques sur les disponibilités fourragères. Malgré des différences marquées de contexte socio-économique et de priorités du développement de l'élevage entre pays et régions du monde, en particulier entre l'Europe du Nord et les régions du Bassin méditerranéen, les études sur les systèmes d'élevage en ferme mettent en évidence des similitudes dans les pratiques d'élevage en milieu difficile. On a tenté ici de les formaliser, en vue de dégager des éléments généraux de diagnostic de la conduite de l'élevage dans ces milieux. Ces similitudes concernent principalement la question de la gestion du risque, au niveau du troupeau et de l'exploitation agricole dans son ensemble. Nous rendons compte dans cet article d'un ensemble de travaux de recherche-développement menés dans des milieux très variés et nous tentons de dégager à partir de ces exemples une vue d'ensemble des fondements des pratiques des éleveurs. L'attitude des éleveurs face au risque, en particulier en matière d'exploitation des ressources naturelles, apparaît comme l'élément clé à prendre en compte pour évaluer l'efficience des systèmes d'élevage. Les questions que le développement durable de l'élevage en milieu difficile posent à la recherche sont analysées à la lueur de ces résultats

Seatbelt use and speeding on three major roads in Egypt: A brief report

Objective Road traffic injuries pose a significant threat to the Egyptian population. Recent estimates revealed that Egypt experiences 42 road traffic deaths per 100,000 population (1.8% of all deaths in the country), which is the highest death rate in the region. More than half of the road traffic crashes that resulted in injuries occurred on the country\u27s highways. Despite the significance of this public health problem, very little risk factor information currently exists. The overall goal of this paper is to understand the burden of speeding and the level of seatbelt and child restraint use on a highway (Cairo Ring Road) and two urban roads crossing Alexandria city (Kornish and Gamal Abd-Elnaser roads). Methods Two rounds of seatbelt and child restraint observational studies and one round of speed observational study were carried out between 2011 and 2012. Results Findings revealed that seatbelt use among drivers and front seat passengers were low for all three sites (range: 11.1% to 19.8% for drivers; 2.9% to 4.0% for front seat passengers). Similarly, child restraint use in cars with children was very low ranging from 1.1% to 3.9% on all three roads. All three roads experienced a high percentage of vehicles driving above the speed limit (39.4% on Kornish Road, 22.6% on Cairo Ring Road, 11.8% on Gamal Abd Elnaser Road), with the majority of these vehicles driving 1 to 10 kilometer above the speed limit. Conclusion Future interventions need to focus on enhancing enforcement of speed and seatbelt wearing, closing gaps in legislation, and standardizing existing data systems to help inform good road safety policies. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd