Comparative study of the behaviour of vetch (Vicia sativa. L)

A comparative study of the behavior of vetch (Mghila variety), grown both intercropped with olive tree (Chetoui variety) and in the open, was conducted in the Morneg region, northeast of Tunisia (upper semi-arid with mild winter) within the agricultural experimentation unit of INRAT during the 2015/2016 agricultural season. The parameters characterizing the yield and seed quality of vetch, as well as the soil vegetation cover (NDVI) and soil moisture (Hp) were measured. The results of this study show the important role of the agroforestry system in reducing the climatic demand for intercropping and humidifying the soil microclimate. Likewise, the tree plays an essential role in the slow formation of the soil, as its rooting promotes the infiltration of water and air at depth, the alteration of the parent rock and the assimilation of nutrients. These results constitute a key element in the biological fertilization of the soils, in particular in view of an increase in mineral fertilizers.