Effect of Harvest Stage on Forage Yield and Nutritional Value of Winter and Spring Triticale Genotypes

Triticale grain is the first human made cereal created by 1875. It grows in most climates on acidic soils and in extreme temperature conditions. Moreover, the low value of triticale flour makes it a cereal mainly for animal feed as grain or forage (Varughese et al. 1987). It is well suited for dual purpose use (forage + grain + fodder or fodder, Ben Youssef et al. 2000) and as green forage, silage or hay (Delogu et al. 2001). In Tunisia, triticale was introduced by INRAT but its utilization has not been fully developed in Tunisia. The maximum sown area reached 20000 ha in 1992 and then dropped dramatically in 2002-03. There is a renewed interest for this species, particularly for feed use (as green forage or silage). Because of the uses of this cereal, it is necessary to study the nutritional value of triticale for different uses and varieties. In this trial, we evaluated the forage yield and the nutritional value of two new contrasting triticale types (spring – Tc1821 vs. winter – G41 triticale variety)

How Can Sewage Sludge Use in Sustainable Tunisian Agriculture Be Increased?

In recent years, farmers in Beja, an agricultural governorate in northwestern Tunisia, have expressed their willingness to use urban sewage sludge as agricultural fertilizer, especially with the unavailability of chemical fertilizers and the soil type of the region that is poor in organic matter. However, there is an imbalance between the important farmers’ demand versus the limited quantity of sludge produced by the Beja wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In the face of this, this study aims to identify the problems related to the agricultural reuse of sludge in Beja and propose solutions to solve them. The quality of the sludge produced by the five Beja WWTPs was assessed based on physicochemical and microbiological parameters. The data were collected using the Delphi method, with 15 experts representing different positions on the issue treated. The SWOT-AHP methodology was used to define the strategies promoting the sustainable use and management of urban sewage sludge for sustainable agricultural development in Beja. Results showed that there were no problems with compliance with the Tunisian standards NT 106.20 for the sludge produced. A set of twelve practical conclusions was identified, constituting the strategies of Strengths–Opportunities, Strengths–Threats, Weaknesses–Opportunities, and Weaknesses–Threats deduced from the SWOT-AHP

Le 1er séminaire international sur les innovations technologiques au service de l'agriculture durable (SIITA)

Le 1er Séminaire International sur les innovations technologiques au service de l'agriculture  durable a permit de faire le point sur un certain nombre de thématiques scientifiques en se basant sur les innovations technologiques au service de l'agriculture durable et ses impacts sur l'environnement et l'industrie. IL a regroupé des chercheurs universitaires nationaux et internationaux et des industriels pour discuter, sur les innovations et nouvelles tendances en matière de production, conservation et développement de l'agriculture. Elle a été également une occasion pour développer et renforcer la collaboration entre les chercheurs et les industriels en matière de recherche scientifique dans les domaines agriculture, agro-alimentaire et environnement. Le séminaire s'est décliné en en cinq thèmes: Thème 1: Histoire d'innovations technologiques dans l'agriculture ; Thème 2: L'innovation pour relever les défis de l'agriculture pour un développement durable; Thème 3: Innovation individuelles et collectives de toutes natures; Thème 4: Évaluation des innovations apportées par les agriculteurs dans l'exploitation agricole et industrielle; Thème 5: Importance économique et commerciale des innovations technologiques pour le développement des chaînes de valeur agricoles/agro-alimentaires

Estimation of Tunisian Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Different Livestock Species

This study aimed to determine the emissions of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) from seven Tunisian livestock species and their evolution over eleven consecutive years (2008–2018). The species of animals used were cattle (dairy and others), sheep, goats, camelids, horses, donkeys and mules, and poultry. The estimations of CH4 and N2O emissions were based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines for national inventories, using Tier 1 and Tier 2 approaches, with its default emission factors (EFs). The Tier 2 approach was applied only for the calculation of EF to estimate CH4 emissions related to livestock manure management. CH4 emission represented more than 92% of the total greenhouse gas (GHG) from livestock emissions. Moreover, 53% of the total CH4 emissions from livestock were derived from cattle, followed by sheep, goats, other mammals (camelids, horses, mules, and donkeys), and poultry. During the period covered by the study (2008–2018), a slight and continuous decrease of both livestock population and total GHG emissions was observed, mainly in terms of CH4. In mammals, CH4 emissions were greater than N2O emissions, whereas in poultry, N2O emissions were up to 2.6 times greater than CH4 emissions. The aggressive drive of the government to increase cattle and sheep production might affect CH4 emissions in the future. Therefore, periodic estimations of GHG emissions from livestock are required to follow the time trends for more rational decision-making regarding livestock and GHG emissions policies