Conventional tillage in the High Atlas Mountains

Conventional tillage in the High Atlas Mountains Tidili

Plowing moist soil, in particular, generates increased compaction that prevents water percolation and makes the anoxique1 medium. It removes the superficial layer of humus (clay-humus complexes) and thus exposes the soil to erosion (which can be very important on fragile soils such as loamy soils developed on Loess). This causes a significant decrease in the quality and quantity of the organic material surface. He exposes the soil to dehydration and solar ultraviolet.

In continental climate (temperate cold), to a depth not exceeding 20 cm, plowing aerates the soil. It mixes crop residues, solid manure, lime and mineral fertilizers to the land while introducing oxygen. In doing so, it reduces nitrogen losses by volatilization, accelerates mineralization and increases the available nitrogen in the short term for the decomposition of organic matter.

farmers have become born-again soil-saving conservationists. Plowing may open soil to erosion, but it also loosens, warms and dries the ground for planting. Besides, plowed fields look clean and neat
- traditional evidence of hard work. But that evidence has gotten expensive. As usual, economics is the main motivating force: not plowing has become cheaper than plowing.

Traditional plowing High Atlas Mountains Tidili