1 1

Khaled SASSI. Ghassen ABID. Hatem CHEIKH-M’HAMED and Moncef BEN-HAMMOUDA

2

Introduction

Aims

Material and methods

Results and discussion

Conclusion

PLAN

51.5 167 312 1008

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Conservation Agriculture in Tunisia

Introduction

To

tal A

rea

s (h

a)

Phase I Phase II Phase III

Initiation

Erosion

Runoff

Compaction

▼Organic matter

Yields limitation

Low protein

Strong variation of production 4

Tillage

In semi-arid area of Tunisia

This makes difficults in varietal choice and in estimation of the target yield

Cereal varieties in Tunisia are characterized by genetic variations and especially durum wheat varieties

5

Their performances and adaptations depending on the method of conduct are poorly controlled particularly in direct drilling

6

Investigate the potential of production of 5 durum

wheat varieties under conditions of direct drilling.

Compare the two systems of production of durum

wheat (conventional and direct drillings).

Study the technological and nutritional quality of

durum wheat from direct drilling.

Aims

7

Experimental station of the ESAK

5 improved varieties of durum wheat:

‘Karim’. ‘Razzak’. ‘Khiar’. ‘Om Rabia’ et ‘Nasr’

Lower semi-arid

2008/09 – 2009/10 – 2010/11

Material and methods

Experimental farm

Conduct of the trial

Plant material

Rep. 1

CD DD

2 1

3 2

4 3

5 4

1 5

8

Rep. 2

CD DD

3 4

4 5

5 1

1 2

2 3

Rep. 3

CD DD

1 5

2 1

3 2

4 3

5 4

Rep. 4

CD DD

4 2

5 3

1 4

2 5

3 1

Split-plot

1- Karim 2- Khiar 3- Om Rabia 4- Razzak 5- Nasr

Experimental design

9

Differences

Conventionnel drilling: 2 tillages

Direct drilling : Zero tillage

Conventionnel drilling: No chemical weed control before sowing

Direct drilling : Chemical weed control before sowing.

Trial conduct

Soil preparation Weeding

10

Agronomic

Quality

Grain yield

Protein

Gluten

Thousand kernel weight

Ash

Specific Weight

Parameters studied

Results and Discussion

11

Assessment of grains yield and thousand kernel weight of durum wheat varieties conducted in direct and conventional drillings

12

Means of grains yield (t/ha) of five durum wheat cultivars conducted in direct and conventional drilling and for three seasons of study

b

a

a

b

a

a

a a

0

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 Mean

Gra

ins y

ield

(t/

h)

Season

DD CD

DD* : Direct Drilling CD* : Conventional Drilling

Grains yield

13

Average of grains yield (t/ha) of five durum wheat cultivars conducted in direct and conventional drillings and for three seasons of study.

b b

ab

bb

a aa

a

a a

0

1

1

2

2

3

Karim Razzek Khiar Om Rabia Nasr Mean

Gra

ins y

ield

(t/

ha)

Variety

DD CD

DD* : Direct Drilling CD* : Conventional Drilling

Grains yield

14

Average of thousand kernel weight (g) of five durum wheat cultivars conducted in direct and conventional drillings and for three seasons of study.

aa

a a aa

aa

a

a

b

a

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

Karim Razzek Khiar Om Rabia Nasr Mean

Th

ou

san

d k

ern

el

weig

ht

(g)

Variety

DD CD

DD* : Direct Drilling CD* : Conventional Drilling

Thousand kernel weight

Variety 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 3 years mean

DD CD DD CD DD CD DD CD

Karim 12.19 12.69 16.05 15.64 14.52 13.22 14.25 13.85

Razzek 11.49 12.05 12.67 15.26 11.42 12.74 11.86 13.35

Khiar 11.98 11.98 16.95 14.70 13.74 12.52 14.22 13.07

Om Rabia 11.70 12.62 14.65 13.13 13.62 12.08 13.32 12.61

Nasr 11.23 12.45 15.05 15.32 15.41 12.8 13.90 13.52

Cross Var.

mean 11.72 12.36 15.07 14.81 13.74 12.67 13.51 13.28

CV=6.79

15

Details of protein content (%TPM / DM) of five cultivars of durum wheat conducted in direct and conventional drillings and for three seasons of study

DD* : Direct Drilling CD* : Conventional Drilling

Protein content

Technological and nutritional quality

16

Average protein content (%TPM / DM) of five cultivars of durum wheat conducted in direct and conventional drillings and for three seasons of study

a

b

aa a ab a b b

b b

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Karim Razzek Khiar Om Rabia Nasr Mean

Pro

tein

mat

ter

(%T

PM

/DM

)

Variety

DD CD

DD* : Direct Drilling CD* : Conventional Drilling

Protein content

17

Average gluten content (%) of five cultivars of durum wheat conducted in direct and conventional drillings and for three seasons of study

Om Rabia. Nasr. Khiar and Karim present a balanced gluten reflecting good technological value and are suitable to make pasta or couscous

aa

a a b aa a aa

a

a

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Karim Razzek Khiar Om Rabia Nasr Mean

Glu

ten

co

nte

nt

(%)

Variety

DD CD

DD* : Direct Drilling CD* : Conventional Drilling

Gluten content

18

a aa

a a aaa

ba a a

0,0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1,0

1,2

1,4

1,6

1,8

2,0

Karim Razzek Khiar Om Rabia Nasr Mean

Ash

co

nte

nt

(%)

Variety

DD CD

DD* : Direct Drilling CD* : Conventional Drilling

Average ash content (%) of five cultivars of durum wheat conducted in direct and conventional drillings and for three seasons of study

Ash content

19

a b

b

a

ab

a

a

a

a

a a

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

Karim Razzek Khiar Om Rabia Nasr Mean

Sp

ecif

ic w

eig

ht

(Kg

/hl)

Variety

DD CD

Specific weight (%) of five cultivars of durum wheat conducted in direct and conventional drillings and for three seasons of study

DD* : Direct Drilling CD* : Conventional Drilling

Specific weight

Comparison of the performance of the durum wheat conducted under direct and conventional drillings shows that the grains yield over all varieties was in favor of the CD, with 17% increase.

This difference was not stable and it varied from one season to another, making DD competing well when it is relatively a dry season such as the case of the second season

During the first season of study, results showed that grains yield was lower in direct drilling than conventional method (1.97 and 2.88 t/ha respectively).

During the second season, the expression of grains yield does not seem to be affected by the conduct method (1.21 t/ha conventional drilling and 1.19 t/ha direct drilling).

Conclusion

During the third season, the grains yield is slightly higher for the benefit of DD compared to CD (2.22 and 2.20 t/ha respectively).

This improved performance of durum wheat in direct drilling is due to better water availability in the soil through the effect of mulching (more infiltration. less evaporation. better water reserve).

Finally and based on results of this experiment, Om Rabia has an important potential for being used in DD, with regard to the grains yield (1.94 t/ha), thousand kernel weight (40.08 g), protein (13.32 %/DM), gluten (16.32 %) and specific weight (79.49 kg/hl).

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Conventional drilling

Direct drilling

Source: INGC, 2006

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