Climate change, drought, erosion, water contamination resources, desertification, and loss of soil quality represent major environmental risks worldwide. Facing these risks is the most important issue for sustainable development. Conventional tillage (CT) practices seem to expose the soils of semi-arid regions, which are initially fragile, to degradation that is accentuated by the overuse of the environment. The benefits of conservation agriculture (CA) could mitigate the degradation of natural resources, particularly soils. The adaptation and transfer of the no-till (NT) system with mulch open new perspectives for the development of agriculture in semi-arid regions. The main objective of this study is to assess the impact of conservation agriculture, especially no-till (NT) system, on the physical properties of soil (structural stability (SS), bulk density (BD), gravimetric water content (θg), and soil organic matter (SOM)) compared to conventional tillage (CT). The main changes associated with the transition from a CT system to an NT system were evaluated at the experimental site, Merchouch (M13), which is typified by vertisol soil, and at the Ain Sbit (AS7) site, which is characterized by isohumic soil. Under a no-till system, most of the physical properties of the soil were improved in both sites, with a clear difference in the M13 site. Structural stability under NT showed a significant increase in both sites (fast wetting (FW), slow wetting (SW), and wet stirring (WS) improved by 88, 43, and 83% at the M13 site, respectively, against, 16, 23, and 7%, respectively, at the AS7 site). On the other hand, the SOM increased from 2.0 to 2.6% (an improvement of 28%) at AS7 and from 1.2% to 1.9% (an improvement of 52%) at M13. This research demonstrated that conservation agriculture, especially NT, improves the soil physical quality in both medium and long terms, confirming its suitability for the climatic and edaphic constraints of semi-arid areas in Morocco as well as in other parts of the world.

Conservation agriculture (CA) is characterized by three principles: minimum tillage, even the total absence of tillage in the case of direct seeding (NT), permanent soil cover by mulch, and diversification of crops. Its main objective is to control soil degradation by conserving the physical and biological properties and fertility of the soil, which leads to an improvement in productivity, while preserving the environment. Conventional tillage (CT) used in the arid and semi-arid environments of Morocco (particularly in the study site area of Merchouch) compromise the productivity of established crops in these regions. The work presented consists in the study of the impact of NT on the physico-chemical properties of the soil, especially organic matter (SOM), bulk density (BD), soil moisture (θg), and structural stability (SS) in semi-arid zones. The results show that the use of the NT system positively influences the accumulation of SOM, especially at the soil surface horizon (0-5cm). Concerning θg, there is a significant difference between the two treatments (NT and CT) at the average of the three depths and especially at the horizon 20-40 cm so NT increases the water retention capacity. This study also shows that the mean weight diameter (MWD) of the 3 tests (water, ethanol, and rehumectation) is higher for NT compared to CT. This shows that no-till helped to build a good soil structure over time, which is highly desirable for improving agricultural productivity and conserving natural resources, especially water.

Over the last few decades, argan trees (Argania spinosa L.) skeels have faced harsh ecological conditions and anthropogenic pressure, leading to a dramatic decline in surface and density of cultivation. Nowadays, most techniques used to regenerate argan trees have failed. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are root symbionts that increase plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses during transplantation. The exploration of these symbiotic fungi from different soils of argan stands is the starting point for the selection and production of high-performance organisms adapted to the reforestation sites. The objective of this study is to investigate the composition of the AMF community associated with the argan tree rhizosphere. Forty adult argan trees were sampled in eight forest sites representative of the distribution and genetic diversity of argan forest stands. Five sub-samples of rhizospheric soil were taken around each tree. Our results revealed the presence of different AMF structures (i.e., hyphae, vesicles/and arbuscules) in root samples. Based on morphological characterization, six genera of AMF spores were identified with a dominance of the genera Septoglomus (34%). In addition, soil organic matter and phosphorus concentrations showed a highly significant correlation with AMF spore density. The chi-square test showed a highly significant dependence of the distribution of genera on the site conditions of forest stands. These AMF could be tested and used during the inoculation of argan seedlings in forest nurseries for the success of restoration and reforestation programs, as well as for the development and sustainable improvement of this agroforestry system.

This study investigated the impact of soil properties under greenhouse conditions on the growth and productivity of two chickpea (Cicer arietinum) genotypes (V1 and V2) using two distinct soils collected from Marchouch and Beni Mellal sites. Soil analysis revealed significant differences in organic matter, phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen levels between the two sites. Marchouch soil, characterized by higher nutrient content, especially phosphorus, demonstrated a more favorable environment for chickpea growth, resulting in enhanced plant height, leaf number, chlorophyll content, seed number, and seed weight. Variety V2 showed slightly better performance than V1 across both soil types, particularly in terms of seed yield and mineral content. This research highlights the importance of soil nutrient availability. Furthermore, this study emphasizes the important role of phosphorus in chickpea growth, with Marchouch soil having a higher phosphorus level (62.9 mg kg⁻¹), significantly boosting plant development and yield. Although soil mineral characteristics and genotypes had little effect on most minerals, zinc (19.77 mg uL⁻¹) and iron (69.43 mg uL⁻¹) levels stood out as significant exceptions. Therefore, further studies should focus on examining additional soil characteristics and expanding genotype selection. Based on the findings, Marchouch soil appears to be more favorable for chickpea cultivation. However, more research is needed on the effect of soil and genotypes on Rhizobium activity.

Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl.) Master or thuya is facing several constraints to its successful natural regeneration in Morocco. Containerized seedlings plantation is the only method adopted in thuya forest restoration programs and post-transplant water stress produces high seedling mortality after the first summer following outplanting. There is thus a real need to improve nursery seedlings quality, especially enhancing the growth of the root system by improving the water holding capacity of the root plug. Our aim was to assess the effects of clay on the water holding capacity of the growing media and on various morphological and physiological traits of T. articulata seedlings in the nursery. T.articula seedlings were raised in nursery using nine composite substrates; seedlings quality was evaluated according to their morpho-physiological and performance attributes. This investigation determined that a clay content of 20–25% constitutes an optimum for obtaining seedlings with a good root growth potential and high root viability. Excessive clay content in the growing media resulted in water-logged root plug decreasing root growth potential. This investigation found that morphological attribute as Root Collar Diameter and Root/Shoot ratio could be considered good predictors of Root Growth Potential.