Wasti (2026) Conservation Agriculture combined with supplemental irrigation enhances resilience and food security in Morocco’s rainfed drylands

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: MELSpace (ICARDA (The International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas))
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-01-09
• Authors: Mina Kumari Devkota Wasti
• DOI: None

Research Groups

• International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Merchouch Research Station, Morocco.

Short Summary

This study evaluates the synergistic effects of Conservation Agriculture (CA) and Supplemental Irrigation (SI) on wheat productivity during an exceptionally dry season in Morocco. The findings demonstrate that CA significantly enhances grain yield and water productivity across all water regimes compared to conventional tillage.

Objective

• To evaluate the combined impact of Conservation Agriculture and strategic Supplemental Irrigation on the grain yield, biomass production, and water productivity of wheat under extreme drought conditions.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Field-level experiment at the Merchouch research station, Morocco.
• Temporal Scale: 2021–2022 growing season (characterized by exceptional drought).

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Field experimental design comparing two tillage systems: Conventional Tillage (CT) and Conservation Agriculture (CA).
• Data sources: Primary field observations including grain yield, biomass, straw yield, and soil moisture status.
• Experimental Variables: Three water regimes were tested: rainfed (0 mm SI), one SI event (20 mm at tillering), and two SI events (20 mm at tillering + 30 mm at heading). Irrigation was applied via drip systems based on crop stress and soil moisture.

Main Results

• Rainfed Conditions: CA increased grain yield by 49% (661 kg/ha vs. 442 kg/ha) and water productivity by 50% (3.06 kg/mm vs. 2.04 kg/mm) compared to CT.
• One Supplemental Irrigation (20 mm): CA increased grain yield by 75% (1,484 kg/ha vs. 845 kg/ha) and water productivity by 75% (6.29 kg/mm vs. 3.58 kg/mm).
• Two Supplemental Irrigations (50 mm total): CA increased grain yield by 17% (3,158 kg/ha vs. 2,698 kg/ha) and water productivity by 17% (11.87 kg/mm vs. 10.14 kg/mm).
• System Productivity: CA consistently improved biomass and straw yields across all irrigation levels, indicating superior climate resilience.

Contributions

• Provides empirical evidence that the integration of CA with modest SI can transform vulnerable rainfed systems into productive ones, even during extreme drought years.
• Identifies a scalable pathway to narrow the wheat yield gap in Morocco and reduce national dependence on grain imports.
• Highlights the specific quantitative advantages of CA in maximizing the efficiency of limited water resources (Water Productivity).

Funding

• Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Wasti2026Conservation,
  author = {Wasti, Mina Kumari Devkota},
  title = {Conservation Agriculture combined with supplemental irrigation enhances resilience and food security in Morocco’s rainfed drylands},
  journal = {MELSpace (ICARDA (The International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas))},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://openalex.org/W7123380198}
}

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