Compost application enhances soil quality, growth, and yield of durum wheat under saline conditions
Khadija Manhou, Driss Hmouni, Rachid Moussadek, Abdelmjid Zouahri, Hasna Yachou, Majda Oueld Lhaj, Hatim Sanad, Ahmed Ghanimi, Houria Dakak
Abstract
Saline water irrigation increasingly threatens agricultural productivity and food security, particularly in arid regions with limited freshwater availability. Improving soil management through green waste compost represents a sustainable approach to enhance soil health, reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers, and stimulate crop growth. This study evaluated the effects of three compost doses (15, 20, and 30 t ha⁻1) on soil physicochemical properties, plant growth, and yield components of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf., cv. Faraj) under four levels of saline irrigation (0.2, 8, 12, and 16 dS m⁻1) using a completely randomized design (CRD) in a greenhouse during the 2023–2024 growing season. Saline irrigation significantly increased soil electrical conductivity and sodium accumulation, while soil pH and organic matter content decreased by 13.45% and 28.57%, respectively. Compost application improved soil fertility, particularly by increasing potassium and calcium availability; at 8 dS m⁻1, potassium and calcium contents increased by 23.25% and 16.7%, respectively. Compost significantly enhanced plant growth under saline conditions, with increases of 10–48% in plant height, 18–40% in leaf number, and 9–19% in chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) compared with the untreated control. Grain yield increased by 11.25% at 8 dS m⁻1 and by 31.58% at 12 dS m⁻1 under the highest compost dose, while straw yield, spike length, and awn length were also improved. Overall, the findings suggest that green waste compost application represents an effective strategy to improve soil quality, sustain durum wheat growth, and partially mitigate salinity stress, particularly under moderate saline irrigation conditions.