Improving Soil Health Using Date Palm Residues in Southern Tunisian Olive Orchards

Najoua Chniguir, Abdelhakim Bouajila, Ángeles Prieto-Fernández, Zohra Omar, Salah Mahmoudi and Carmen Trasar-Cepeda ()
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Najoua Chniguir: Research Laboratory of Geosystems, Georessources and Geoenvironments, Faculty of Sciences, University of Gabes, Gabes 6072, Tunisia
Abdelhakim Bouajila: Research Laboratory of Geosystems, Georessources and Geoenvironments, Faculty of Sciences, University of Gabes, Gabes 6072, Tunisia
Ángeles Prieto-Fernández: Departamento de Suelos, Biosistemas y Ecología Agroforestal, MBG Santiago-CSIC, Avenida de Vigo s/n, Campus Vida, 15705 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Zohra Omar: Research Laboratory of Geosystems, Georessources and Geoenvironments, Faculty of Sciences, University of Gabes, Gabes 6072, Tunisia
Salah Mahmoudi: Research Laboratory of Geosystems, Georessources and Geoenvironments, Faculty of Sciences, University of Gabes, Gabes 6072, Tunisia
Carmen Trasar-Cepeda: Departamento de Suelos, Biosistemas y Ecología Agroforestal, MBG Santiago-CSIC, Avenida de Vigo s/n, Campus Vida, 15705 Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 7, 1-29

Abstract: This study evaluated the effects of different types and rates of locally produced organic residues on soil organic matter (SOM) and soil health in highly degraded loamy soils of olive orchards in arid southern Tunisia. Three residues were tested: poultry manure, raw date palm waste, and composted date palm waste mixed with manure. A randomised field trial was conducted over three years. Two years after application, soil samples were analysed for physical and chemical properties, basal respiration, nitrogen mineralisation, microbial biomass, enzyme activities (dehydrogenase, phosphomonoesterase, β-glucosidase, urease, arylsulphatase), and community-level physiological profiles. All residues increased SOM and available phosphorus (Pi), with dose-dependent effects sustained over time, though significant increases were only observed at the highest application rates. The most notable improvements occurred in soils amended with composted date palm waste. In contrast, biological and biochemical parameters showed little response, even after remoistening to stimulate microbial activity. This limited response was attributed to the absence of vegetation and, consequently, of root exudates and plant residues. This will be further investigated by assessing changes in the same biological and biochemical properties following the implementation of an intercropping system, which is expected to enhance both SOM content and microbial activity in these soils.

Keywords: loam soils; arid and semi-arid climate; organic amendments; carbon stabilisation; soil microbial activity; soil enzymes; limited soil moisture; intercropping (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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