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International audience; Cover crops are increasingly used in agriculture to provide a variety of ecosystem services (e.g. reducing nitrogen leaching, storing carbon in soils) during fallow periods, but it can be challenging to successfully establish them in summer, when water availability may be low. Thus, it is crucial to better quantify, understand and predict the emergence date of a variety of cover crops from multiple contexts in impact assessment studies. The objectives of this study were to 1) analyze variability in emergence dynamics among cover crops grown in fields, 2) identify variables that influence emergence the most and use them to develop a simple model to predict emergence date and 3) calibrate the STICS model to improve its predictions of cover crop emergence. STICS was chosen because it is a dynamic soil-plant model widely validated in the literature for simulating the production of cover crop services. We analyzed emergence dynamics of ten cover crop species sown under a variety of soil, climate and sowing conditions from 18 experimental sites across France. We developed and independently evaluated a static model based on these data to predict the number of days until emergence. We then calibrated STICS using the same data. Results revealed a mean emergence duration of 12 days for all species, but with high variability among experimental sites and years. The simple static model contained only three variables, with the number of consecutive days without significant water input after sowing the most significant. Overall, both the model and STICS predicted emergence date well in the calibration and validation datasets. Accurate prediction of soil moisture in the seedbed and soil water balance is a key factor to accurately predict cover crop emergence. Accurately predicting emergence of cover crops in crop models will help to assess the former’s ability to provide ecosystem services in cropping systems in current and future climates.

Plant species may exert a strong influence on soil biological properties, but the linkages between plant and soil responses to severe drought remain unclear. We conducted an outdoor mesocosm experiment with five upland grass species and one Mediterranean drought-resistant grass cultivar to investigate the effects of root biomass and rhizosphere conditions on the drought responses of soil microbial biomass in the topsoil. In particular, we assessed whether variation in the drought resistance of microbial biomass could be linked to root biomass, soil inorganic nitrogen (N) or dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Experimental drought decreased microbial biomass but increased soil inorganic N and DOC across plant species. Root biomass responses to drought were less predictable, and varied depending on species. Microbial biomass resistance to drought showed a negative relationship with the drought resistance of root biomass across species, possibly via changes in rhizodeposition. Moreover, the drought resistance of microbial biomass showed a negative relationship with soil nutrient availability under droughted conditions. Our findings highlight the importance of root biomass as a predictor of soil microbial resistance to drought in grass-dominated systems, and suggest that trade-offs between plant and microbial processes could have significant implications for ecosystem function in a changing environment.

In Ghana, cocoa has traditionally been grown as a low input crop, which has caused soil fertility deterioration, and thus, the need to integrate fertilizer use into cocoa agricultural practices. However, fertilizers recommended to farmers are general in nature and do not account for specific crop needs and inherent soil fertility conditions. This study evaluates the use of a soil diagnosis model to determine fertilizer recommendations for cocoa based on inherent soil fertility characteristics in the cocoa growing zones of Ghana. The site-specific fertilizer formulations were tested against blanket recommendations (Asaase Wura and Cocofeed) in farmers' settings from 2009 to 2011. The results showed that DS-formulated site-specific fertilizer performed better than all blanket fertilizers in Western soils especially on the Ferralsols which are very acidic and depleted of base cations. On the other soil conditions, the site-specific formulations were comparable to the blanket formulations. Trend analysis of cocoa response to applied fertilizer suggests that P is a major determinant of cocoa productivity and that P205 rates > 120 kg ha- 1 would be required, when justified economically, for optimal cocoa yield, while potassium could be kept at around 45 kg K20 ha- 1. In view of these results, the cocoa fertilizer formulas proposed for western regions of Ghana could be revised according to the DS model recommendations by taking into consideration the optima presented above. For the other cocoa regions, the DS would not be economic and therefore, proposed formulas should keep P20 5 and K20 around the optima above-presented while compensating for nutrients exported by the crop.

DOSSIER Sols forestiers, intégrer les dynamiques; En forêt, érosion rime avec prévention

L'application de la connaissance des services écosystémiques rendus par les sols passe par leur meilleure connaissance dans des contextes divers. La Guyane cherche à allier un développement local à un maintien des services environnementaux rendus par les écosystèmes. La déforestation, lorsque pratiquée hors de cahiers de charges bien établis, conduit à la destruction partielle ou totale de l'horizon de surface des sols, donc au principal réservoir de carbone (C) des sols. La connaissance actuelle du carbone des sols de Guyane est limitée. Les données collectées ici permettent d'approcher la spatialisation des contenus de C même si la variabilité des stocks reste forte. Les modélisations du devenir des stocks de C suite à la déforestation ont été réalisées à partir des données collectées dans le projet CarSGuy et le site expérimental de Terres Inovia ; s'ajoutent à ces valeurs la compilation de données issus de campagnes précédentes : Réseau de Mesures de la Qualité des Sols (RMQS) et ValSol. Ces modélisations indiquent l'importance de la prise en compte du stock initial (T0) pour le devenir des stocks. Enfin ce travail a testé une méthodologie de mesures spectrales (visible et proche infra-rouge) de terrain des sols pour l'évaluation du stock. Les données collectées à partir de 236 sites permettent de quantifier et spatialiser les stocks (0-0,3/0-0,5/0-1 m). La modélisation permet de constater que la mise en culture induit de fortes baisses des stocks, 16 % du stock initial à court terme (~ année) après défriche. L'essai expérimental du site de Combi, montre que les stocks ont tendance à croître avec la mise en place d'une prairie de fauche intensive (Urochloa ruziziensis). Enfin, l'étude méthodologique de mesure du stock par spectroscopie-spectrométrie sur le terrain n'a pas été concluante, car testée sur un échantillon à forte diversité pédologique.

Agromining aims to rehabilitate contaminated or natural metal-rich soils (ultramafic soils) by extracting metals of high economic importance, such as nickel (Ni), using hyperaccumulator plants and then to recover these metals for industrial purposes. Ultramafic soils are characterized by low fertility levels and this can limit yields of hyperaccumulators and metal phytoextraction. Here, we characterized the potential benefits for phytoextraction efficiency of co-cropping two plants: a Ni-hyperaccumulator (Alyssum murale; Brassicaceae) and a legume (Vicia sativa; Fabaceae). A field experiment with 3 replicates was set up in an ultramafic zone in North West Spain. Four treatments were tested: co-cropping (“Co”), fertilized mono-culture (“FMo”), non-fertilized mono-culture (“NFMo”) and bulk soil (“BS”). “FMo” and “Co” treatments increased the biomass yields of A. murale by 453% and 417% respectively, compared to “NFMo”. “Co” treatment generated 35% and 493% higher Ni-yields than “FMo” and “NFMo”, respectively. Most of the microbial analyses showed that introducing V. sativa (“Co” treatment) into the cropping system had beneficial effects. “Co” treatment significantly modified the phenotypical structure of bacterial communities and raise the relative abundance of the phylum Bacteroidetes and reduced that of Actinobacteria. In addition, non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis of the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) showed that “Co” was clearly separate from all other treatments. Thus, this study showed that co-cropping a hyperaccumulator with a legume in Ni-agromining systems not only improves plant biomass and Ni-yields, but also enhanced some soil microbial enzymatic activities. Ameliorating agromining by replacing fertilizers would combine eco-efficient or sustainable metal recovery with soil fertility/quality improvement.

International audience; The intensification and subsequent closing down of industrial activities during the last century has left behind large surfaces of derelict lands. Derelict soils have low fertility, can be contaminated, and many of them remain unused. However, with the increasing demand of soil surfaces, they might be considered as a resource, for example for non-food biomass production. The study of their physico-chemical properties and of their biodiversity and biological activity may provide indications for their potential re-use. The objective of our study was to investigate the quality of six derelict soils, considering abiotic, biotic, and functional parameters. We studied (i) the soil bacteria, fungi, meso- and macro-fauna and plant communities of six different derelict soils (two from coking plants, one from a settling pond, two constructed ones made from different substrates and remediated soil, and an inert waste storage one), and (ii) their decomposition function based on the decomposer trophic network, enzyme activities, mineralization activity, and organic pollutant degradation. Biodiversity levels in these soils were high, but all biotic parameters, except the mycorrhizal colonization level, discriminated them. Multivariate analysis showed that biotic parameters co-varied more with fertility proxies than with soil contamination parameters. Similarly, functional parameters significantly co-varied with abiotic parameters. Among functional parameters, macro-decomposer proportion, enzyme activity, average mineralization capacity, and microbial polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degraders were useful to discriminate the soils. We assessed their quality by combining abiotic, biotic, and functional parameters: the compost-amended constructed soil displayed the highest quality, while the settling pond soil and the contaminated constructed soil displayed the lowest. Although differences among the soils were highlighted, this study shows that derelict soils may provide a biodiversity ecosystem service and are functional for decomposition.

To study food production systems of six communities located on six different islands of Vanuatu we selected villages in zones of low and high population pressures. We measured land availability, soil fertility, genetic resources, average yields of food gardens, their plant densities, traditional knowledge richness (TKR), and household incomes and expenses. We analyzed a total of 224 plots belonging to 30 farmers and identified 13 root crop species with the total number of cultivars in communities ranging from 74 to 261. Surprisingly, villages under high population pressure have shorter fallow periods but higher yields. In both zones, women have higher TKR. In high population pressure villages there are signs of soil fertility reduction and mineral depletion but no signs of significant decrease in soil fertility after the first year of cultivation, indicating that root crop species remove limited amounts of total N and minerals per year. The purchase of imported foods is associated with a sociocultural change in diets rather than pressures on land or soils. Our quantitative and integrative methodology allows clear differentiation between villages under different pressures and can be used to assess levels of resilience and vulnerability.

International audience; Plant species can exert a strong influence on soil processes. The aim of this field study was to examine the interactive effects of plant species identity and dung amendment on key soil properties related to carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling. Monocultures of three co-occurring grass species (Dactylis glomerata, Lolium perenne, Festuca rubra) with contrasting nutrient acquisition strategies were examined. Soil CO2 fluxes, leaf litter decomposition, C and N storage in soil and soil microbes were measured in plots with and without dung addition. Four months after dung addition, soil sampled from plots was used in a greenhouse bioassay experiment to assess soil fertility. Dung addition increased CO2 fluxes from soil irrespective of plant species; increased leaf litter mass loss and C and N stocks in soil and microbial biomass were also observed. Bioassay results confirmed dung-induced increases in soil fertility. Significant plant species' effects were found for soil CO2 fluxes, soil inorganic N content, leaf litter mass loss and bioassay seedling root: shoot ratio. Nevertheless, dung effects showed no significant interactions with plant species identity on any of the soil variables examined. Soil responses to dung show additive effects with grass species identity, but are not clearly linked to plant nutrient acquisition strategy in this temperate study system. High nutrient inputs may buffer plant-soil interactions against variation in plant nutrient acquisition strategies.

Low crop yields in the savannah zones of West Africa are commonly attributed to rainfall deficits and poor soil fertility. In this study, an assessment was made on how the position of fields belonging to different farm types can explain soil variability and related crop yield gaps in two villages in Burkina Faso, Yilou and Koumbia, located, respectively, in the Sudano-Sahelian and Sudanian agro-ecological zones. In each village, four farm types were identified. Soil fertility was generally poor and use of nutrient inputs low in most of the farmer's fields . As a consequence, yields for most crops were low, but differences among farm types were found, which can be linked to their socioeconomic characteristics that influence the amount of inputs used. Application of fertilizers differed also between fields within farms and tended to be greater on the fields near the homesteads in the village of Yilou, especially for organic fertilizers. At both villages, the rates of N and K inputs were insufficient to compensate for their respective output rates, leading to negative partial nutrient balances . The existence of patchworks of soil fertility gives rise to a wide variation in crop responses to fertilizers. Exploitable yield gaps were substantial and to a large extent related to the low fertility status of soils and sub-optimal fertilizer applications.

Given the scarcity of manure and the limited land available for fallowing, cotton cultivation with its input credit schemes is often the main entry point for nutrients in cropping systems of West Africa. In an experiment carried out during 25 years in southern Mali, the crop and soil responses to organic fertilizer (=OF), inorganic fertilizer (=IF), and a combination of both (=OIF) were quantified and compared to a control treatment for a typical cotton-sorghum-groundnut rotation. From 1965 to 1979 (15 years, period 1), fertilizers were only applied on cotton and the control treatment was not fertilized. From 1980 to 1989 (10 years, period 2), the amount of manure applied was split between cotton and sorghum, and inorganic fertilizers were applied to the three crops. Inorganic fertilizers were also applied to plots with cotton and sorghum that were previously unfertilized control treatments. In favorable rainfall seasons maximum yields of fertilized treatments reached ca. 3.5 t ha −1 in the case of cotton and groundnuts, and ca. 2 t ha −1 in the case of sorghum. During period 1, cotton yields were steady (ca. 1 t ha −1 ) when no fertilizers were added. Cotton yields were 20% higher in the OF and OIF treatments than in the IF treatment. Sorghum and groundnut benefited from residual effects of fertilizer application on cotton leading to a 200% and 50% yield increase respectively compared to the control treatment. During period 2, yields of the three crops were similar across fertilized treatments. Groundnut yields in the OF treatment, and cotton yields in the OF and IF treatments were respectively 45%, 30% and 20% significantly higher than those in the respective control treatments. No added benefit on crop yields was observed from the combined use of inorganic and organic fertilizer. Soil nutrient contents (SOC, N, P, K) did not significantly change in any of the treatments after 25 years. Soil pH decreased in treatments receiving inorganic fertilizer. Despite low level of soil organic matter, crops responded to organic or inorganic fertilization and crop productivity over time was mostly influenced by the interaction between fertilization and rainfall variability. Our results highlight the role of cotton in West African landscapes as an entry point of nutrients via fertilization, which impacts positively on the productivity of the other crops in the rotation. Credit schemes by the cotton company for farmers to purchase fertilizer to which they would otherwise not have access are thus crucial for sustained crop productivity.

The application of agromining to abandoned ultramafic areas is a major challenge in the presence of potentially recoverable areas. Howerver, ultramafic soils are particular in terms of their fertility with high concentrations of metals and a near absence of organic matter. Nevertheless, this challenge was partly met by the application of chemical fertilizers and herbicides. Our challenge, through this PhD, was to develop a sustainable agro-ecosystem based on the introduction of a legume in association with the hyperaccumulating plant and then the reduction of any chemical input. Our results clearly confirmed that the introduction of a legume into these new cropping systems improved both the biomass production of Alyssum murale and the Ni yields in comparison to the fertilized and non-fertilized monoculture. Our work has also shown that the insertion of a legume into agromining cropping systems improves the structure of the soil due to stable and larger aggregates. In addition, higher levels of carbon and nitrogen and higher concentrations of organic matter were detected. These results led to an overall improvement of the soil structure, its fertility and its biofunctioning. Our results showed positive effects of these new cropping systems, both on the size of the bacterial communities and on the microbial enzymes involved in the soil biogeochemical cycles. In addition, the structure and diversity of bacterial communities were modified with the insertion of the legume, compared to the monoculture. Economically, the introduction of legume into cropping systems dedicated to Ni agromining involves a gain of money and time due to reduced application of mineral fertilizers as well as products of phytosanitary. Finally, all these benefits lead to the rehabilitation of ultramafic soils with the restoration of their physical, chemical and biological qualities while allowing these particular soils to offer many ecosystem services, L’application de l’agromine à des zones ultramafiques délaissées constitue un enjeu majeur à la vue des surfaces potentiellement valorisables. Par contre, les sols ultramafiques sont particuliers avec de fortes concentrations en métaux et une quasi absence de matière organique. Malgré tout, la mise en place de l’agromine a déjà donné de bons résultats, couplée avec l’application d’herbicides et une fertilisation minérale. Notre défi a été de développer une agromine durable par la mise en place d’agro-écosystèmes basés sur l’introduction d’une légumineuse en association avec une plante hyperaccumulatrice et la suppression de tout intrant chimique. Nos résultats ont confirmé clairement que l'introduction d'une légumineuse dans l’agromine a amélioré la production de biomasse de Alyssum murale et les rendements de nickel par rapport à sa monoculture fertilisée et non fertilisée. Nos travaux ont également montré que l'insertion d'une légumineuse dans l’agromine permet d’améliorer la structure du sol avec des agrégats plus stables. De plus, de meilleures teneurs en carbone, azote et en matière organique ont été détectées. L’ensemble de ces éléments conduit ainsi à une amélioration globale de la structure du sol, de sa fertilité et de son biofonctionnement. Corrélativement, nos résultats ont mis en évidence les effets positifs de ces nouvelles pratiques, à la fois sur la taille, la diversité et les acitivités liées aux cycles biogéochimiques des communautés bactériennes. D’un point de vue écononique, l’introduction de la légumineuse dans l’agromine implique un gain financier et de temps du fait de la réduction de l'application d’engrais et de produits phytosanitaires. Enfin, tous ces avantages conduisent à une réhabilitation des sols ultramafiques avec une restauration de leurs qualités physique, chimique et biologique, tout en permettant à ces sols particuliers d’offrir plusieurs services écosystémiques

The SEFerSol project aims at testing and assessing innovative cropping systems that enhance soil fertility of organic vegetable crops. Two cropping systems are tested compared to a system that is used as a reference regarding farmer’s practices. The innovative system “Max Green Manure” includes green manure as much as possible into the crop succession. This system is only fertilized with compost and soil tillage is superficial, permanent beds method is used. The innovative system “Soil conservation”, is fertilized according to a nitrogen balance, soil tillage is highly reduced or suppressed and soil is covered as frequently as possible. After two years of experimentation, the construction of a method to assess the results of the trial is needed. This multi-criteria assessment is based on the analysis of four criterions: soil fertility; impact on water quality; technical, economic and social results; self-sufficiency regarding inputs. The assessment consists in analyzing both statistical and dashboard methods. The dashboard method enables to interpret indicators by transforming them into a variation rate, relative to the “Reference” crop system. A second dashboard will be considered to interpret the results in another way, to contextualize them regarding regional references. First results show that two years of experimentation are not long enough to conclude on innovative systems performances. Soil fertility results are variable and mostly depend on the year of study. Cropping systems are probably in a transition phase. According to the results, innovative crop systems seem to reduce their impact on water quality. Both innovative systems seem to increase weeding time. The crop system “Soil conservation” also seems to increase working time because of manual mulching. Yields on “Max Green Manure” don’t seem to be different from the yields of the “reference” system, which make that crop system efficient. More results from the next years will reinforce SEFerSol data and confirm or invalidate conclusions of this initial analyze.; Le projet SEFerSol vise à concevoir, tester et évaluer des systèmes de cultures innovants, qui entretiennent la fertilité du sol en maraîchage biologique. Deux systèmes de cultures innovants sont testés, en comparaison à un système de référence qui représente les pratiques courantes des maraîchers en agriculture biologique d’Alsace. Le système innovant « Engrais vert max » est conduit sans fertilisation organique mais avec apport de compost, un maximum d’engrais verts insérés dans la succession culturale et un travail du sol superficiel en planche permanente. Le système innovant « Conservation du sol » est fertilisé selon un bilan azoté, le sol est couvert et non travaillé autant que possible. Après deux ans d’expérimentation, les porteurs du projet souhaitent construire une méthode d’évaluation adéquate aux objectifs de l’expérimentation et initier l’analyse des systèmes de cultures testés sur quatre critères : la fertilité du sol, l’impact sur la qualité de l’eau, les résultats technico-économiques et sociaux et l’autonomie vis-à-vis des intrants. La méthode d’évaluation proposée consiste à confronter les résultats d’analyses statistiques, avec une analyse par tableau de bord. Cette dernière analyse est plus sensible et permet d’exprimer un pourcentage de variation des systèmes de culture innovants vis-à-vis du système « Référence ». Face aux limites que peut présenter cette méthode, il est également envisagé de réaliser un tableau de bord basé sur des références régionales pour contextualiser les résultats sur les systèmes étudiés. Les premiers enseignements issus de l’analyse des résultats, révèlent que deux années d’expérimentation constituent une période trop courte pour conclure sur les systèmes de cultures innovants. Les résultats, notamment sur la fertilité du sol, sont variables et dépendent pour l’instant de l’année d’étude. Les systèmes de culture sont probablement en phase de transition. Des éléments permettent cependant de dire que la qualité de l’eau semble moins impactée sur les deux systèmes innovants. Les temps de travaux augmentent dû à la gestion des adventices sur « Engrais vert max » et « Conservation du sol » mais également dû à la pose manuelle de paillage sur ce dernier système. Le système « Engrais vert max » semble obtenir des rendements similaires au système « Référence » ce qui le rend particulièrement efficient. Les conclusions tirées de ces premières analyses sont à confirmer ou non dans la suite du projet SEFerSol.

Growing demand for palm oil is driven by increasing human population, income growth as well as biodiesel stimulation programs. Covering an area of over ten million ha in Indonesia, palm oil production is also one of the most important sources of crop residues while processing generates large amounts of wastewater. Cultivation and processing of this crop are considered as potentially large sources of emissions. Improving environmental impacts of the palm oil production can help to reduce existing emissions while increasing yield and generating surplus energy and farm income. However, area expansion for oil palm plantation is perceived as closely linked to illegal logging, deforestation and diminishing biodiversity. Apart from ensuring sustainable land use change, the use of residues is the most important criterion in ensuring sustainable palm oil. It is important to note that there are trade-offs (e.g. between maximizing bio energy production, reducing environmental impacts other than greenhouse gases (GHG), and sustaining soil fertility). Nitrogen (N) losses in palm oil production systems are a major environmental and economic issue. Unfortunately, there is little comprehensive knowledge on how to calculate N-budgets in oil palm plantation in order to optimize fertilization, taking into account N-leaching and N-gaseous emissions. Land use, soil-carbon, N-emissions and biodiversity are key aspects of life cycle assessment (LCA) of palm oil production systems and they pose a number of methodological questions.

A expressiva area de plantacoes florestais de arvores de eucalipto de rapido crescimento no Brasil e em outras regioes do mundo encontra-se sob o efeito das mudancas climaticas, do estresse hidrico e da baixa fertilidade do solo, afetando o crescimento volumetrico e a qualidade do seu lenho. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o incremento do DAP do tronco de arvores de Eucalyptus grandis por 24 meses, nos tratamentos de reducao da precipitacao pluviometrica e de nutricao potassica e sodica. Os tratamentos foram definidos por 2 regimes hidricos (100 e 66% das chuvas, com reducao artificial com lonas de polietileno) e 3 tipos de nutricao mineral: K (K - 4,5 kmol/ha), Na (Na - 4,5 kmol/ha) e controle (sem aplicacao de K e Na). Foram selecionadas 54 arvores de eucalipto/tratamento e instaladas as faixas dendrometricas no DAP dos troncos. Os resultados indicaram efeito da sazonalidade climatica no incremento do DAP do tronco das arvores de eucalipto, com periodos de maior e de menor taxa de crescimento e o meristema cambial e, desta forma, a mensuracao do diâmetro do tronco com os dendrometros indicam que a resposta a um dado evento climatico se expressa apos o periodo de 15, 30 e de ate 45 dias. As arvores de eucalipto dos tratamentos sem reducao de chuva apresentaram maior valor da taxa de incremento acumulado do tronco, bem como nas arvores do tratamento com aplicacao de K. Os resultados podem ser utilizados na adocao de praticas silviculturais nas arvores de eucalipto nas plantacoes florestais de rapido crescimento em areas afetadas pelo estresse hidrico e na substituicao parcial de K por Na.(Resume d'auteur)

Os solos com Terra Preta Arqueológica (TPA) são formados pela deposição contínua de resíduos orgânicos e mantêm sua fertilidade elevada mesmo após anos de cultivo. O objetivo do trabalho foi caracterizar e quantificar as formas de fósforo orgânico em sítios de Terra Preta Arqueológica (TPA), visando compreender a dinâmica desse elemento e contribuir com o desenvolvimento de práticas sustentáveis de uso do solo. Foram utilizadas amostras de 10 perfis com horizonte A antrópico (TPA) em Latossolos, Argissolos e Gleissolo, usando como referência solos adjacentes não antropogênicos, localizados na Amazônia Oriental. As amostras referentes aos horizontes A, horizonte de transição e B, foram submetidas ao fracionamento sequencial do P, em extrato ácido e básico e demais caracterizações físico-químicas. A fração de P em extrato ácido nos horizonte A1 e B predominou sobre as frações lábeis e solúvel em extrato básico em todas as áreas, apresentando os maiores percentuais observados na forma inorgânica. Verificou-se o aumento do conteúdo de fósforo orgânico lábil (Pol) no horizonte A1, com redução entre os horizontes A e B de 97,6%. O fósforo total (PT) apresentou teores significativamente elevados (6.778 mg dm-3) nos horizontes A de TPA em comparação com o mesmo horizonte no solo de referência (168 mg dm-3). Na fração total observou-se o predomínio do fósforo inorgânico sobre o fósforo orgânico, enquanto que nas frações lábeis ocorreu o inverso. Portanto, a maior parte do P total lábil está acumulado nas frações orgânicas do solo, representando uma forma ativa para o fornecimento do nutriente aos vegetais à medida que se mineraliza. Soils containing archaeological black earth (ABE) are formed by the continuous deposition of organic residue, and maintain their high fertility even after years of cultivation. The aim of this study was to characterise and quantify the forms of organic phosphorus in areas of archaeological black earth (ABE), with a view to understanding the dynamics of the element and contributing to the development of sustainable practices of land use. Samples of 10 profiles were used from Latosols, Argisols and Gleysols located in the eastern Amazon with an anthropogenic A-horizon (ABE), using adjacent, nonanthropogenic soils as reference. The samples relative to the A, transitional and B-horizons, were subjected to sequential fractionation of P in an acid base extraction, and to further physicochemical characterisation. The acid-extracted P fraction in the A1 and B-horizons predominated over the basic-extractant labile and soluble fractions in all areas, displaying the highest percentages for the inorganic form. An increase in the labile organic phosphorus content (Pol) was found in the A1-horizon, with a reduction between the A and B-horizons of 97.6%. The amount of total phosphorus (TP) was significantly higher (6,778 mg dm-3) in the A-horizons of the ABE in comparison with the soil in the reference area (168 mg dm-3). The predominance of inorganic phosphorus over organic phosphorus was found for the total fraction, while the opposite occurred with the labile fractions. Most of the total labile P is therefore accumulated in the organic fractions of the soil, and represents an active means of supplying the nutrient to plants as it mineralises.

La region du Lac Alaotra est un des greniers a riz de Madagascar avec de nombreuses contraintes pedoclimatiques importantes. Dans une perspective de developpement durable, des organismes de recherche ont mis au point des itineraires techniques issus de l'Agriculture de Conservation (AC).La dissemination a ete assuree de 2003 a 2013 par le projet de developpement BV-Lac. Comme definie par la FAO en 2008, l'AC repond a trois principes : i) perturbation minimale du sol, ii) protection du sol par une couverture vegetale, iii) rotation de culture et association de plantes qui impliquent un double changement de paradigme sur les techniques de cultures et les strategies. Une enquete realisee en 2013/2014 montre que depuis le demarrage du projet, les paysans ont su adapter ces techniques a la structure de leur exploitation pour repondre a leurs propres contraintes dans des processus d'appropriation aboutissant un continuum de pratiques entre conventionnel et AC mettant en exergue un long temps d'apprentissage et une recombinaison des savoirs. (Resume d'auteur)

La journée pour l'agroforesterie en france. Ministère de l'agriculture, le 1er février 2017; Les sols en agroforesterie, que sait-on? . Journée R&D pour l'Agroforesterie

The production of sufficient food for an increasing global population while conserving natural capital is a major challenge to humanity. Tree-mediated ecosystem services are recognized as key features of more sustainable agroecosystems but the strategic management of tree attributes for ecosystem service provision is poorly understood. Six agroforestry and tree cover transition studies, spanning tropical/subtropical forest zones in three continents, were synthesized to assess the contribution of tree cover to the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Loss of native earthworm populations resulted in 76% lower soil macroporosity when shade trees were absent in coffee agriculture. Increased tree cover contributed to 53% increase in tea crop yield, maintained 93% of crop pollinators found in the natural forest and, in combination with nearby forest fragments, contributed to as much as 86% lower incidence for coffee berry borer. In certain contexts, shade trees contributed to negative effects resulting from increases in abundance of white stem borer and lacebugs and resulted in 60% reduction of endangered tree species compared to forest. Managing trees for ecosystem services requires understanding which tree species to include and how to manage them for different socio-ecological contexts. This knowledge needs to be shared and translated into viable options with farming communities.

Tropical forests store large amounts of biomass despite they generally grow in nutrient-poor soils, suggesting that the role of soil characteristics in the structure and dynamics of tropical forests is complex. We used data for >34 000 trees from several permanent plots in French Guiana to investigate if soil characteristics could predict the structure (tree diameter, density and aboveground biomass), and dynamics (growth, mortality, aboveground wood productivity) of nutrient-poor tropical forests. Most variables did not covary with site-level changes in soil nutrient content, indicating that nutrient-cycling mechanisms other than the direct absorption from soil (e.g. the nutrient uptake from litter, the resorption, or the storage of nutrients in the biomass), may strongly control forest structure and dynamics. Ecosystem-level adaptations to low soil nutrient availability and long-term low levels of disturbance may help to account for the lower productivity and higher accumulation of biomass in nutrient-poor forests compared to nutrient-richer forests.

SUMMARYIn the oil palm plantations of Ecuador, two factorial trials (namely CP06 and CP08) were used to assess the effects of N, P and K fertilization on the soil chemical characteristics after 10 years of fertilizer application. The use of ammonia-based fertilizers has resulted in a drop in soil pH, which has reached 1.2 units in one of the two trials. A drop in cation exchange capacity (CEC) was also found, and a loss of exchangeable cations that probably reflected leaching of excess N as nitrates. The use of KCl enriched the soil in K, which contributed to impoverishment in Ca and Mg. In both trials, the highest N and K application rates had no significant effect on yield in comparison with an intermediate fertilization rate; however, their effects on the fertilized soil significantly increased the risk of N and cation leaching towards the deep soil layers. We also compared the effects of the N, P and K factors on soil properties outside the fertilizer application zone. In both trials, the mineral reserves played a major role in meeting the needs of the control palms, which had not been fertilized for 10 years, as no significant yield drop has been observed except in trial CP06 when no KCl was applied. However, uptake of nutrient in the control plots did not lead to significant impoverishment of the soil.

Sans accès aisé aux engrais chimiques, la jachère et la fumure animale sont les principaux moyens d'entretenir la fertilité des sols dans les régions d'élevage d'Afrique occidentale. La fumure est pratiquée depuis des siècles par la conduite des animaux sur parcours, leur parcage sur des surfaces destinées à la culture, dans des enclos ou au piquet pour accumuler des excrétas, mais en Afrique, rarement en fabriquant du vrai fumier. La restitution de nutriments par l'animal est le résultat de l'ingestion de fourrages (1,8 à 2,5 t MS/UBT/an12), de leur digestion et de I' excrétion des fèces, ainsi que des urines et des gaz. Sur parcours extensifs, les matières fécales contiennent 40 à 60 % des biomasses consommées, donc du carbone, dont une grande proportion de fibres riches en lignine. Avec les urines, les fèces réunissent 75 à 90 % de l'azote et des minéraux (P, Ca, K, Mg) ingérés par le bétail, les minima correspondants à des jeunes animaux en croissance ou des vaches laitières, les maxima à des animaux adultes à l'entretien qui retiennent donc peu de nutriments. Ce texte vise principalement à expliquer, sur la base des processus digestifs, la variabilité quantitative et qualitative des excrétas et de ses facteurs. Ceux-ci sont liés à la diversité des systèmes fourragers suivant le milieu naturel, les systèmes de culture, les saisons et les régimes différenciés des bovins, ovins ou caprins ; en particulier, les teneurs en azote des fèces de petits ruminants (3 à 4 % de la matière organique fécale) sont plus élevées que celles des bovins (1 à 3 %). Les teneurs en fibres lignifiées sont également plus importantes dans les fèces de caprins en relation avec leur importante consommation de fourrages ligneux. Les ovins sont intermédiaires entre les caprins et les bovins. Le texte rappelle aussi la compétition pour l'usage de la biomasse, trop peu abondante, entre la production fourragère, l'enfouissement, le paillage et les brûlis. La distribution spatiale des excrétas et leur concentration, du fait de la conduite des troupeaux au pâturage, de leur parcage, de la technologie fumière mise en oeuvre, sont les principaux déterminants de la restitution des nutriments et de leur qualité humifère. Il est aussi souligné que toute innovation en fumure animale n'a de chance de s'étendre que si elle s'intègre au fonctionnement global et au projet des exploitations. Enfin, dans des contextes en rapide évolution de densification agricole des terroirs, de disparition des jachères et des réserves foncières, les transferts de fertilité par les animaux depuis: les parcours non cultivés sont de moins en moins importants alors que les exportations par les produits animaux et végétaux en réponse à la demande urbaine s'amplifient. Il est donc nécessaire d'intégrer les engrais minéraux dans les stratégies d'intensification écologique durable.

The application of agromining to abandoned ultramafic areas is a major challenge in the presence of potentially recoverable areas. Howerver, ultramafic soils are particular in terms of their fertility with high concentrations of metals and a near absence of organic matter. Nevertheless, this challenge was partly met by the application of chemical fertilizers and herbicides. Our challenge, through this PhD, was to develop a sustainable agro-ecosystem based on the introduction of a legume in association with the hyperaccumulating plant and then the reduction of any chemical input. Our results clearly confirmed that the introduction of a legume into these new cropping systems improved both the biomass production of Alyssum murale and the Ni yields in comparison to the fertilized and non-fertilized monoculture. Our work has also shown that the insertion of a legume into agromining cropping systems improves the structure of the soil due to stable and larger aggregates. In addition, higher levels of carbon and nitrogen and higher concentrations of organic matter were detected. These results led to an overall improvement of the soil structure, its fertility and its biofunctioning. Our results showed positive effects of these new cropping systems, both on the size of the bacterial communities and on the microbial enzymes involved in the soil biogeochemical cycles. In addition, the structure and diversity of bacterial communities were modified with the insertion of the legume, compared to the monoculture. Economically, the introduction of legume into cropping systems dedicated to Ni agromining involves a gain of money and time due to reduced application of mineral fertilizers as well as products of phytosanitary. Finally, all these benefits lead to the rehabilitation of ultramafic soils with the restoration of their physical, chemical and biological qualities while allowing these particular soils to offer many ecosystem services, L’application de l’agromine à des zones ultramafiques délaissées constitue un enjeu majeur à la vue des surfaces potentiellement valorisables. Par contre, les sols ultramafiques sont particuliers avec de fortes concentrations en métaux et une quasi absence de matière organique. Malgré tout, la mise en place de l’agromine a déjà donné de bons résultats, couplée avec l’application d’herbicides et une fertilisation minérale. Notre défi a été de développer une agromine durable par la mise en place d’agro-écosystèmes basés sur l’introduction d’une légumineuse en association avec une plante hyperaccumulatrice et la suppression de tout intrant chimique. Nos résultats ont confirmé clairement que l'introduction d'une légumineuse dans l’agromine a amélioré la production de biomasse de Alyssum murale et les rendements de nickel par rapport à sa monoculture fertilisée et non fertilisée. Nos travaux ont également montré que l'insertion d'une légumineuse dans l’agromine permet d’améliorer la structure du sol avec des agrégats plus stables. De plus, de meilleures teneurs en carbone, azote et en matière organique ont été détectées. L’ensemble de ces éléments conduit ainsi à une amélioration globale de la structure du sol, de sa fertilité et de son biofonctionnement. Corrélativement, nos résultats ont mis en évidence les effets positifs de ces nouvelles pratiques, à la fois sur la taille, la diversité et les acitivités liées aux cycles biogéochimiques des communautés bactériennes. D’un point de vue écononique, l’introduction de la légumineuse dans l’agromine implique un gain financier et de temps du fait de la réduction de l'application d’engrais et de produits phytosanitaires. Enfin, tous ces avantages conduisent à une réhabilitation des sols ultramafiques avec une restauration de leurs qualités physique, chimique et biologique, tout en permettant à ces sols particuliers d’offrir plusieurs services écosystémiques

Description du sujet. Cet article traite de l’impact du biochar sur la biodisponibilité en phosphore (P) dans les sols en vue d’améliorer la gestion et l’autonomie de la fertilisation en P des cultures. Objectifs. L’objectif général était d’explorer le potentiel du biochar à augmenter la biodisponibilité du P dans le sol. Les objectifs spécifiques étaient de préciser l’influence de la biomasse pyrolysée ainsi que la dose de biochar appliquée sur la solubilité du P. Méthode. Trois biochars produits à partir de biomasses différentes (résidus de Miscanthus, de bois et de café) ont été incorporés dans un Luvisol (pH acide) selon deux doses (1 et 3 % en masse). Après 76 jours d’incubation, la biodisponibilité du P a été estimée (extraction au CaCl2 0,01 M). Les propriétés physico-chimiques du sol et la quantité de CO2 émise durant la période d’incubation ont également été déterminées.Résultats. Seul le biochar produit à partir de résidus de bois et incorporé à une dose de 3 % a augmenté la concentration en P biodisponible dans le sol (+ 75 %). Cette augmentation résulterait non seulement d’une libération de P par le biochar lui-même (effet direct), mais également d’une remobilisation du P du sol (effet indirect) faisant suite à l’élévation drastique du pH (+ 3,6 unités) ainsi qu’à l’augmentation de l’activité biologique. Pour les autres traitements, l’absence d’effet significatif sur la biodisponibilité du P résulte vraisemblablement de leur faible impact sur le pH du sol, celui-ci restant dans une gamme (4,3 – 5,1) favorisant l’insolubilisation du P.Conclusions. Étant donné la variabilité des résultats et les incertitudes concernant les mécanismes responsables de la mobilisation du P en présence de biochar, il est essentiel de conduire des études complémentaires afin de mieux comprendre l’impact du biochar sur la mobilité du P dans les systèmes sol-plante., Effect of biochar on phosphorus bioavailability in an acidic silt loam soilDescription of the subject. This paper deals with the impact of biochar on soil phosphorus (P) bioavailability with a view to improving the management of P fertilization. Objectives. The aim of this study was to explore the potential of biochar to increase P bioavailability in soil. The specific objectives were to elucidate the role of feedstock and the rate of application of biochar on P solubility.Method. Three biochars produced from different feedstocks (Miscanthus straws, coffee husks and woody material) were added to an acidic Luvisol at two rates of application (1% and 3%; w/w). At the end of a 76-day incubation period, P bioavailability was assessed (0.01 M CaCl2 extraction). Soil physico-chemical properties and the amount of CO2 emitted over the incubation period were also determined.Results. The wood-derived biochar applied at 3% was the only treatment that increased significantly P bioavailability (+ 75%). This increase might result from the release of P by biochar itself (direct effect) but also from an enhanced P solubility in soil (indirect effect) related to a large increase in pH (+3.6 units compared to the control) and a higher soil biological activity. The other treatments had no significant impact on soil P bioavailability, probably as a result of their minor effect on soil pH.Conclusions. Our study shows that biochar-induced changes in P bioavailability in soil varied greatly with type of feedstock and rate of application. However, the balance between the direct and indirect effects of biochar on P bioavailability was not elucidated. Further investigations are thus essential to clarify the potential of biochar to improve P bioavailability in the soil-plant system.

UMR SYSTEM : équipe CONSYST; Intensively managed cropping systems with emphasis on productivity of the main crop can benefit from additional ecosystem services brought by integration of trees in the system − but potential drawbacks must also be accounted for. In an on-farm study, we used a variety of plant, soil and water- related variables to assess the effect of Erythrina spp. and Musa spp. on the provision of ecosystem services in productive, high-quality Coffea arabica plantations in Costa Rica. We found 1) no significant effect of shade trees on coffee production overall; 2) evidence that shade trees do affect flowering and subsequent cherry development, with effects strongly dependent on climate and annual variations in coffee plant physiology; 3) Erythrina shade trees significantly increased soil litter and relative infiltration rate of water in the soil, both linked to soil conservation and decrease in erosion; 4) even in highly fertilized environments, Erythrina trees do fix N which was taken up by adjacent coffee plants. The lack of significant negative effect of shade trees on overall coffee yield and the observation of the provision of other useful services was not unexpected, because of 1) the low density of shade trees in the study site (100–350 trees/ha pruned twice a year on average) and 2) the sensitivity of coffee yields to other interacting effects such as climate, pests and diseases and physiological variations in the plant. Pending further long-term research into the factors affecting coffee yield, we find shade trees provide sufficient ecosystem services to justify their integration in even intensively managed plantations.

Earthworms, as ecosystem engineers, help to mineralize soil organic matter, construct and maintain soil structure, and often stimulate plant growth and protect plants from pests. The aim of this study was (i) to determine the connection between earthworm traits and indicators of soil ecosystem services and (ii) to identify earthworm “response” traits, which are selected by the landscape or changes in the soil, and “effect” traits, which contribute to soil processes. In the southern portion of the state of Para (eastern Brazilian Amazonia), we sampled earthworms at 135 points distributed among 3 locations, 9 sub-locations and 27 farms (5 sampling points per farm). At each point, three 25 cm × 25 cm soil samples were hand-sorted for earthworms. We measured eight functional traits in 1148 individuals: relative gizzard size, type of typhlosole, length and type of caudal setae, pigmentation, overall length, thickness of septa and musculature in anterior segments. We found a significant, although relatively low, relationship between landscape classes and trait proportions. Earthworm trait proportions significantly covaried with soil parameters and indicators of soil ecosystem services. We did not find significant covariation between earthworm morphospecies and soil ecosystem services. We identified earthworm “response” traits that had been selected and assessed consequences of these changes on effects of earthworm communities (via their “effect” traits) on soil processes and ecosystem services. Typhlosole type, gizzard size and septa thickness were identified as “response” traits selected by soil and landscape conditions. These traits were also identified as “effect” traits for their influence on soil structure. Results indicated a connection between earthworm traits and landscape degradation and soil services, which is a new step toward conceptualizing earthworm ecological studies that go beyond the species level. (Resume d'auteur)

Key message Short-rotation forestry using eucalyptus in degraded oak forests in the semi-arid area of NW Morocco can be a useful strategy to avoid further degradation and carbon loss from this ecosystem, but it might be constrained by nutrient and water supply in the long term.[br/] Context Land degradation and deforestation of natural forests are serious issues worldwide, potentially leading to altered land use and carbon storage capacity.[br/] Aims Our objectives were to investigate if short-rotation plantations can restore carbon pools of degraded soils, without altering soil fertility.[br/] Methods Carbon and nutrient pools in above- and below-ground biomass and soils were assessed using stand inventories, harvested biomass values, allometric relationships and selective sampling for chemical analyses.[br/] Results Carbon pools in the total ecosystem were low in the degraded land and in croplands (6–13 Mg ha−1) and high in forests (66–94 in eucalyptus plantations; 86–126 in native forests). The soil nutrient status of eucalyptus stands was intermediate between degraded land and native forests and increased over time after eucalyptus introduction. All harvest scenarios for eucalyptus are likely to impoverish the soil but, for the moment, the soil nutrient status has not been affected.[br/] Conclusion Afforestation of degraded land with eucalyptus can be a useful restoration tool relative to carbon storage and soil fertility, provided that non-intensive forestry is applied.

Sustainable Land Management (SLM) represents a holistic approach to achieving long-term productive ecosystems by integrating biophysical, socio-cultural and economic needs and values. SLM is one of the main mechanisms to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN).To foster and facilitate the adoption of SLM practices that address DLDD while mitigating climate change and enhancing climate change adaptation, this report assesses the synergistic potential of SLM practices while also critically evaluating the possible trade-offs between the different objectives. The assessment provides a scientifically-sound basis to understand SLM's potential to contribute to multiple objectives, and provides practical guidance for creating an enabling environment for selection and large-scale implementation of effective, locallyadapted SLM practices. Overall objective : The objective of the present report is to "highlight the science-based synergistic potential of SLM practices to address DLDD, climate change mitigation and adaptation" as a contribution to the UNCCD's Science Policy Interface (SPI) work programme 2016-2017. By doing so, the linkages between SLM practices to address DLDD, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and resulting synergies and trade-offs, are considered.

In forest ecosystems, the specific influence of soil resources on stand productivity is difficult to assess because many other ecological variables also affect tree growth. In this study, we took advantage of a natural soil gradient, from shallow calcic soil to deep acidic soil, all with similar climate, atmospheric depositions, species composition and management, to determine the relationship between soil nutritive resources and the growth and mineral nutrition of a beech ( Fagus sylvatica ) mature forest of Northeastern France. Soil resources were assessed through the quantification of the stocks of available water and mineral nutrients (Ca, Mg, K and P 2 O 5 ). Beech stand growth and mineral nutrition were determined through the use of several indicators, i.e., standing aboveground biomass and annual biomass production, potential growth index (prediction of the height of dominant trees at 100 years) and foliar nutrient content. We observed a gradient of nutritive resources in soils as well as a gradient of stand growth on the study site: the current aboveground biomass was highest on the calci-brunisol which presented the highest water and nutrient stocks while it was lowest on the rendisol, characterized by a very low water holding capacity and a very low stock of available K. However, the growth of beech trees on the rendisol was equivalent to the highest growth classes of beech trees in France, and K nutrition was optimal. Observations on the study site suggest that, in favorable climate conditions, some biological adaptation processes, such as an efficient root colonization as well as an efficient nutrient cycling may allow to maintain stand growth and nutrition on soils with low water and nutrient reserves. The fertility of forest soils has thus to be assessed in a dynamic way by integrating nutrient fluxes as well as the adaptations of trees to environmental constraints. The biological processes become an increasingly important part in the conservation of soil fertility, notably in the perspective of global changes.

Global demand for renewable energy from plant biomass is growing steadily as a result of policy choices, demographics, and rising per capita energy needs. This energy requirement is turning out to be a major obstacle to economic development on tropical islands and remote landlocked areas. Thus, sugarcane is no longer cultivated exclusively for sugar but also for its biomass which, when burnt, helps produce electricity. In Guadeloupe, there are plans to generate electricity from almost total sugarcane combustion. It has also become possible to produce second-generation ethanol from aboveground plant parts. To this end, CIRAD selected sugarcane and sorghum as model plants to conduct several projects in partnership that helped identify suitable planting material and agricultural practices producing 67–85 T/ha/year of sugarcane dry matter (DM) and 30–50 T/ha/year of sorghum DM. Various cultivation models were calibrated to extend the scope of the results to other areas or climatic conditions. In projects on sugarcane, biomass is used to generate electricity through combustion, while the Sweetfuel project uses sorghum biomass to produce bioethanol. The diversification of products in sugarcane and sorghum chains can offer producers and industrial actors new outlets in an environmental context that is not only increasingly constrained (pesticide reduction, climate change) but is also becoming increasingly competitive due to the liberalization of the sugar market.

Introducing nitrogen-fixing species (NFS) in eucalypt plantations is a useful practice to compensate nitrogen loss at harvest, reduce fertilizer inputs, improve soil fertility and sustain forest productivity in low input systems.Nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) were evaluated in the active part of soil organic matter (SOM) i.e., the particulate organic matter (POM), which was obtained after soil (0-0.05 m) physical fractionation at the end of a first 7-year rotation (R1Y7) and at year 2 of a second rotation (R2Y2) in pure acacia (100A), pure eucalypt (100E) and mixed-species (50A50E) stands in an experimental plantation established on an Arenosol in the Congolese coastal plains. N concentration (in g kg(-1) of soil) was higher in coarse POM (cPOM, 4000-250 mu m) in 100A and 50A50E compared to 100E at 2YR2, while no difference was found in fine POM (fPOM, 250-50 gm) and in the organo-mineral fraction (OMF, < 50 mu m). N content in cPOM was more than 3 times higher at R2Y2 than at R1Y7. A slight increase was also observed in fPOM, while no difference was observed in OMF between R1Y7 and R2Y2. Lower C:N ratios in the two POM fractions in 100A and, to a lesser extent, in 50A50E compared to 100E suggests an improved soil N status after acacia trees have been introduced in eucalypt plantations.The lack of difference in N content of coarse POM between 100A and 50A50E at R1Y7, despite higher amount of N in the forest floor and N returning to the soil (harvest residues and litterfall) in 100A than in 50A50E, suggests a faster cycling of nitrogen under acacia than under eucalypt.

La couverture végétale du sol constitue un moyen efficace de réduire le ruissellement et l'érosion en Afrique soudano-sahélienne. Elle contribue aussi à enrichir le sol superficiel en matière organique et en nutriments. Cette pratique constitue un élément central du système de culture sous couvert végétal (SCV) qui a été vulgarisé au nord du Cameroun. Mais il existe de fortes concurrences entre les usages des biomasses mobilisables pour cette couverture, en premier lieu l'alimentation du bétail qui reste en saison sèche une préoccupation majeure des producteurs de cette région. L'introduction du Brachiaria ruziziensis en culture pure ou associée aux céréales donne de nouvelles perspectives pour accroître l'offre en biomasse pour le bétail, mais aussi pour la couverture du sol. L'usage des émondes des arbres ou des haies vives et des légumineuses herbacées comme paillis existe, mais plus rarement. Il apparaît comme une voie d'amélioration possible de l'offre en biomasse fourragère et de couverture. Par ailleurs, il convient d'associer aux innovations techniques des innovations organisationnelles indispensables pour modifier les modes de gestion des ressources naturelles et des espaces et assurer un partage équitable de la biomasse disponible entre les différents usages (paillage, fourrage-vaine pâture, feux).

Différentes jachères arborées plantées d'Acacia polyacantha, de Senna siamea ou d'Eucalyptus camaldulensis et une jachère naturelle herbacée, ont été installées en comparaison, sur un sol appauvri en matière organique et en nutriments, dans la région de Garoua au Cameroun (1050 mm de pluviosité). L'objectif était d'évaluer leurs effets sur la dynamique du carbone, les cycles des nutriments, les propriétés du sol et le rendement des cultures annuelles après jachère. Par rapport à la jachère herbacée, les jachères arborées de 7 ans ont augmenté considérablement l'accumulation de matière organique et de nutriments dans la biomasse aérienne et souterraine et aussi le prélèvement des nutriments de la profondeur du sol. Ces processus ont permis, lors de l'exploitation des jachères arborées et du brûlis des résidus, d'améliorer les caractéristiques du complexe absorbant (somme des cations échangeables, en particulier Ca) dans l'horizon de surface (0-10 cm) des jachères ligneuses par rapport à la jachère herbacée. Par la fixation de l'azote et son recyclage, l'espèce fixatrice d'azote, A. polyacantha, a augmenté considérablement le bilan d'azote du système. L'espèce a accumulé dans son système racinaire autant d'azote qu 'E. camaldulensis et S. siamea dans leur biomasse totale et leur litière. En outre, seul A. polyacantha a montré une augmentation significative des stocks de carbone et d'azote du sol (couche 0-20 cm) après 6 ans d'âge. Le stock d'azote plus élevé et facilement minéralisable et l'accumulation de matière organique du sol dans la jachère à A. polyacantha, ont été associés à un triplement du rendement du maïs en première année de remise en culture par rapport aux précédents, et un doublement en deuxième année. Cette augmentation très importante des rendements des cultures après jachère n'a pas été observée après les autres précédents arborés. Ces résultats soulignent l'importance des compartiments organiques et le potentiel des arbres fixateurs d'azote dans la restauration de la fertilité des sols dégradés.