Abstract

This study examines the effects of the mixed mineral/organic amendment on the evolution of the Organic Matter (OM) content and Total Nitrogen (TN) in the oasis soil. The mineral amendment applied (sand from the dunes) was composted with organic matter (manure). Our study was carried out in the oasis of Om Rouss located in the Douz delegation in southwestern Tunisia. We selected two amended plots in this oasis, one that has been corrected for 10 years and located upstream (i) and another one which has been corrected for 2 years and is located downstream (ii) at the level of the Chott depression. These modified soils were compared to untreated soils (iii). The physicochemical characterization of the amended soils revealed that their functional properties, mainly materialized by organic matter and total nitrogen, are closely related to the topographic position, the general texture and the proximity of the sebkha, the natural exit of surface and irrigation water.

Keywords:

Mixed amendment, oasis, organic matter, texture, total nitrogen, Tunisia,

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