Impact of Cereal–Legume Intercropping on Changes in Soil Nutrients Contents under Semi–Arid Conditions

Amal Attallah, Wissem Hamdi (), Amira Souid, Mohamed Farissi, Boulbaba L’taief, Aimé J. Messiga, Nazih Yacer Rebouh, Salah Jellali and Mohamed Faouzi Zagrarni
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Amal Attallah: Higher Institute of the Sciences and Techniques of Waters, Gabes University, Gabes 6029, Tunisia
Wissem Hamdi: Higher Institute of the Sciences and Techniques of Waters, Gabes University, Gabes 6029, Tunisia
Amira Souid: Higher Institute of the Sciences and Techniques of Waters, Gabes University, Gabes 6029, Tunisia
Mohamed Farissi: Laboratory of Biotechnology & Sustainable Development of Natural Resources, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Beni-Mellal, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni-Mellal 23000, Morocco
Boulbaba L’taief: Biology Department, College of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 960, Abha 62223, Saudi Arabia
Aimé J. Messiga: Agassiz Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Agassiz, BC V0M1A0, Canada
Nazih Yacer Rebouh: Department of Environmental Management, Institute of Environmental Engineering, RUDN University, 6 Miklukho-Maklaya St., 117198 Moscow, Russia
Salah Jellali: Center for Environmental Studies and Research, Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khoud 123, Muscat, Oman
Mohamed Faouzi Zagrarni: Higher Institute of the Sciences and Techniques of Waters, Gabes University, Gabes 6029, Tunisia

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 7, 1-12

Abstract: Cereal–legume intercropping systems are not well studied under the semi–arid conditions of Southern Tunisia. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of intercropping durum wheat ( Triticum turgidum ssp. durum L.) with chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.) on crop grain yield and soil physicochemical proprieties such as carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) availability, microbial biomass nutrients (C and N) and plant nutrient content (N) in comparison to their monocultures. Field experiments were conducted during the 2020–2021 (EXP–A) and 2021–2022 (EXP–B) seasons in Medenine, Tunisia. The results revealed a significant augmentation ( p < 0.05) in the total nitrogen proportions (Ntot) within the soil of intercropped durum wheat (DuWh–IR) compared to its monoculture (DuWh–MC). The observed variations amounted to 32% and 29% during the two growing seasons, identified as EXP–A and EXP–B. Additionally, the soil of intercropped durum wheat (DuWh–IR) significantly ( p < 0.05) accumulated more total carbon (C tot ) than the monocrop (DuWh–MC) for both experiments, showing an increase of 27% in EXP–A and 24% in EXP–B. Simultaneously, the N? uptake of durum wheat significantly increased under the effect of intercropping, showing a rise of 26% in the EXP–A season and 21% in the EXP–B season. Similarly, the yield of durum wheat crops was comparatively greater in the intercropped plots as opposed to the monoculture crops, with variances of 23% in EXP–A and 20% in EXP–B. Intercropping cereals and legumes has the potential to enhance the soil fertility and crop production in the semi–arid regions of Southern Tunisia and contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing reliance on nitrogen fertilizers.

Keywords: chickpea; durum? wheat; N? uptake; carbon availability; crop yield (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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