Exploring the effect of conservation agriculture on Soil fauna population in semi-arid cereal-legume agroecosystems: Use case from Morocco

Abstract

Shifting conventional tillage (CT) system to conservation agriculture (CA), reduced tillage, soil cover and crop rotation has certainly an impact on different soil components (biological, chemical and physical). Numerous studies have been conducted to identify the influence of CA on soil physical and chemical quality in Moroccan soils. However, the impact on soil biology, particularly key soil organisms such as earthworms, has not yet been thoroughly investigated. In this study, summarized the results of two years of investigation on the effect of CA on earthworm population in a wheat-legume cropping system in the central region of Morocco. This study showed significant effects of earthworms on soil and crop productivity under CA-wheat based cropping system, particularly when climate conditions are more favorable for earthworm activity. Linking earthworms’ parameters to soil and crop data is necessary in future investigations. This suggests that soil fauna (e.g., earthworm), could be used as a soil health indicator which will be validated for potential use in different soil and climatic conditions.