The assessment of water and nitrogen use efficiency in oliveforage pea crop intercropping system in the Setif region

Abstract

Agroforestry systems play a pivotal role in buffering the adverse effects of climate conditions, showcasing their potential to stabilize and enhance crop production even in the face of climate change. The study focused on elucidating the impacts of an agroforestry system featuring Laccino variety olive trees intercropped with herbaceous plants (Barley and forage pea). Conducted in the semi-arid region of El-Eulma, Setif, within the Makhloufi Aissa pilot farm in eastern Algeria, the research aimed to assess the system's efficiency in water and nitrogen availability. Results revealed significant advantages of the agroforestry approach, particularly in enhancing the bioavailability of water and assimilable nitrogen in the soil. Notably, the system demonstrated a resistance of some plants to drought effects, and effectiveness in elevating soil nitrate levels, expanding leaf area, and increasing water and nitrogen content in crops compared to monoculture. Furthermore, crops exhibited a notable resilience to drought within the agroforestry system. These findings underscore the critical role of agroforestry systems in reducing negative environmental impacts, alleviating drought stress on crops, fostering microclimatic conditions, diminishing reliance on external inputs, and enhancing resource use efficiency, notably in water and nitrogen.