The study of cultivated soils in the Algerian steppe regions

The introduction of cereal farming in the Algerian steppe began several years ago. This land reallocation results in the replacement of native steppe species by irrigated cereal crops. This study aims to assess the impact of this mechanism on soil evolution and to predict their ecological sustainability. The study was carried out by comparing five station cultivated with the same technical itineraries but they differ only in the duration of exploitation. The results showed that soil tillage and irrigation accelerated the degradation process. Signs of salinity appeared after less than fifteen years and the soils retained their low chemical fertility despite the continuous supply of organic amendments. The recorded yields decrease over time and do not cover the costs of the projects. The evaluation of the land by the Sys method showed that these soils are not suitable for this crop.