How Does Organic Amendment and NPK Fertilization Improve Forage Yield of Cereals under Salinity and Arid Conditions?: Case of Moroccan Sahara

Abstract

The experiment on effect of organic amendment and NPK fertilizer of forage yield of cereals using saline water irrigation (12.4 dS/m) was conducted in Es-Smara province in the South of Morocco during 2020–2021. We found that organic amendments have a great positive impact on increasing forage yield of selected cereals grown under salinity conditions. Compared to the control, the application of amendments improved dry biomass yield by 55, 101, 126%, through the application of compost, sheep manure, and NPK, respectively. The highest increment in dry matter productivity was through the combined application of organic amendment and NPK fertilization: clearly showed that a judicious combined application could improve forage supply in the salt-affected irrigated drylands.

Keywords

• salinity
• aridity
• amendments
• cereals
• forage