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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol.7, No.12
Publication Date: December 25, 2020
DOI:10.14738/assrj.712.9308.
Rezgui, M., Sebei, A., Bchini, H., Somrani, O., Bahrouni, H., Mechri, M., Ghabri, A., Abdallah, M. A. B. (2020). Effect of Three Soil Tillage
Practices on Soil Organic Matter and Nutrient in Any Semi-Arid Area in Tunisia. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(12) 110-
120.
Effect of Three Soil Tillage Practices on Soil Organic Matter and
Nutrient in Any Semi-Arid Area in Tunisia
Mohsen Rezgui
National Institute of Agricultural Research of Tunisia
Abdennour Sebei
National Institute of Agricultural Research of Tunisia
Houcine Bchini
National Institute of Agricultural Research of Tunisia
Olfa Somrani
High School of Agriculture of Kef Tunisia
Hassouna Bahrouni
National Research Institute for Rural Engineering,
Water, and Forestry
Mouna Mechri
High School of Agriculture of Kef Tunisia
Azaiez Gharbi
High School of Agriculture of Kef Tunisia
Mohamed Ali Ben Abdallah
National Research Institute for Rural Engineering,
Water, and Forestry
ABSTRACT
The distribution of soil organic matter (SOM), nitrogen (N), potassium
(K), total calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and pH was studied in relation to
three soil tillage practices: conventional (CT) using mouldboad plough
followed by three crossing of off-set disc harrow, tooth harrow and seed
drill, Reduced (RT) using a chisel, and no-till (NT) using direct driller
and 2 plant species: Vicia faba and Durum wheat, grown in a clayey soil
of the semi-arid region of Kef (North western Tunisia) during three
years 2009-2011. Results showed that, under NT, Vicia faba increased
SOM and N in the first fifteen centimeters by 20% and 84% respectively
as compared to the CT, and reduced soil pH by 0.1 unit. Indeed, Vicia faba
benefited from the residues of the Durum wheat. In contrast, CT buried
the residues of the previous crop increasing the rate of SOM and N in the
subsoil (30-45 cm depth). This made clear that NT, had the benefit of
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Rezgui, M., Sebei, A., Bchini, H., Somrani, O., Bahrouni, H., Mechri, M., Ghabri, A., Abdallah, M. A. B. (2020). Effect of Three Soil Tillage Practices on Soil
Organic Matter and Nutrient in Any Semi-Arid Area in Tunisia. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(12) 110-120.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.712.9308 111
improving top-soil fertility and putting soil nutrients at the reach of the
Vicia faba plant roots. Moreover, NT increased the concentration of K in
the top-soil which helped seedlings and young plants resisting biotic
and non biotic stresses imposed by the semi-arid environment.
Keywords: distribution of nutrients, soils, semi-arid regions.
INTRODUCTION
During the last decade, the average population annual growth in Tunisia was about 1.03%, the
average annual decrease in the cropping area for Durum wheat and grain legumes reached
respectively 0.91% and 2.61% r (ONAGRI, 2019). The climate aridity and the misuse of farming
practices have led to severe soil degradation (RECM, 2014) and hence to low crop yield levels.
Nowadays, critical questions are raised about the sustainability of cereals and legume’s production
area under the semi-arid conditions in Tunisia. Sustainable management the soil organic matter
(SOM) could provide a pertinent solution to the problem, mentioned below, as it has a positive
impact on soil fertility and plant growth. Soil organic matter improves soil aggregation (Lahlou et
al., 2005), increases the cations exchange capacity of the soil (FAO, 2016) and its available water
content (Minasny & McBratney, 2017). Also it enhances the availability of exchangeable potassium
(Sardans & Peñuelas 2015). According to Recous et al. (1997), soil organic matter forms with trace
elements complexes and chelates which are beneficial for soil aggregation; it affects the dynamics
and fate of nitrogen fertilizers in the soil-plant system. In addition, crop residue is an effective wind
shield to protect soil surface and young plant from drought and to reduce significantly soil evapo- transpiration saving appreciable amount of moisture in the soil profile (Berrada & Gandah, 1995).
Studies on SOM management through sound farming practices are replete in the literature. Several
studies found that deep plowing would enhance mineralization and thus decrease the SOM content
which restoration may require 40 to 60 years (West & Post, 2002).
No-till increases SOM content in the soil surface. For this reason, direct seeding (El Hassani &
Persoons, 1995) or seeding on cover (Granier, 2010) has been recommended for the semi-arid
regions of North Africa. Recent studies (Jat et al., 2012) suggested a new approach called
“conservation agriculture (CA)” which has three major principles: (1) insures minimal soil
disturbance (2) maintains permanent soil cover (mulch) (3) includes ground cover crops in the
rotation. To promote the development of healthy crops and the processing of carbon sequestration,
Lal (2015) proposed a fourth principle (4) improves the fertility of soils by integrated nutrient
management. Indeed, the plant cover is superior to the mulch brought from another soil (FAO,
2016). These principles are the key elements for carbon sequestration, soil fertility improvement,
soil moisture availability and for crop yield enhancement. Studies covering the effect of soil tillage
types under different crop rotations on carbon sequestration and fertilizers distribution in Tunisia
are limited. Rezgui et al. (2014) found that planting durum wheat and Vicia faba on stubble, in
biannual rotation and under water stress at the early stage of growth, has led to gains in grain yield
of Vicia faba and Durum wheat estimated to 280% and 20% respectively.
This experimental field work aims to investigate the effect of soil tillage and plant species on the
nutrients distribution in the clayey soils of the semi-arid environment of Kef governorate (North
west of Tunisia).