Assessing the Adaptation of Pastoral Species to Arid Conditions in Eastern Morocco

In eastern Morocco, steppe pastures have experienced significant degradation over the past few decades due to the interaction of several factors, including overgrazing and increasingly frequent droughts. The objective of this study is to investigate the adaptation of certain pastoral and forage species to the edapho-climatic conditions of eastern Morocco, with the aim of diversifying and selecting the plant material for future efforts to rehabilitate degraded pastures. For this purpose, 14 native and introduced species were planted in the rural commune of Ain Béni Mathar (Jerada Province). The experimental design included at least ten replications for each species. The trial was monitored over three years from 2021 to 2024. The results showed that almost all species survived the first year. However, the mortality rate increased significantly in the second year, with notable differences between species. After three years of planting, only 517 plants (37%) of the 1390 initially planted survived. The mortality rate was indeed very high for most species. This is the case for Acacia saligna, Bituminaria bituminosa, Colutea atlantica, Lavandula dentata, Medicago arborea, Periploca graeca, and Salvia rosmarinus, for which the mortality rate can reach 100%. Atriplex polycarpa, Caroxylon vermiculatum and Atriplex canescens were the only species that achieved a high survival rate after three years of planting: 100%, 70% and 60%, respectively. These results contribute to a better understanding of the species' ability to adapt to the arid climate of eastern Morocco and to the selection of plant material for future rehabilitation programs targeting degraded rangelands.