Introducing and disseminating forage and grain based CA systems in Jordan

Introducing and disseminating forage and grain based CA systems in Jordan

Harun Cicek, Serkan Ates , Yacoub Hijazeen & Mohamed Rifaee

Consortium Research Program on Dryland Systems (CRP DS)ICARDA – NCARE Technical Meeting for Tafilah-Salamieh Action Site

(Jordan sites) Ayass Hotel, Amman September 21-22, 2014

Conservation Agriculture (CA)and forage activities

Activity Locations Station/site

Area (ha) 2013

Target area (ha) 2014

CA– alley cropping

Meharb , Majdiyah, Irak

Farmers’ fields

1 2

CA - agronomic research trials

Mushaqar, Khaldiyah, and Maru

Research station

5 5

Demonstration trials

Karak/Mazar Madaba/Mushagar

Farmers’ fields

6 30

Forage activities in JordanProductivity of drought tolerant forage legumes and cereals under different tillage systems (2013-2016)

• The forage seeds originating from Tel Hadya and sown in Ramtha Station (due to availability of the water) for multiplication in November 2013.

• A long-term trial will be established at Mushaqar station in autumn 2014 to investigate the performance of various forage legumes in different tillage systems and their impact on the subsequent cereal crop.

Forage crops procured from various sources or multiplied in Ramtha station in Jordan

A total of 10 barley varieties originating from Tel Hadya and Jordan were sown in December 2013 to evaluate their dual purpose potentials under saline conditions (Khalidiyah station). The first year data is under process. The second year of the experiment will be established in mid-October 2014.

Integrated experiment to measure the forage production, of triticale or berseem clover under no till or conventional tillage system under saline conditions (Khalidiyah station)

Forage legume-cereal rotations under no till and conventional tillage systems in saline conditions (2013-2015)

Evaluation and management of alternative forage cereals under saline conditions (2013-2015)

Khaldiyah forage/CA experiment

Berseem

Tritica

le

Conv (CT)

Zero-till (

ZT)

ZT-Berse

em

CT-Berse

em

ZT-Tr

iticale

CT-Triti

cale

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

Crop Weeds

Dry

matt

er K

g/ha

First cut

Second cut

Mushaqar station CA experiments

1. Crop rotation under CA and conventional tillage– Barley, vetch, lentil

2. Time of sowing – Lentil and wheat at early,

normal and late seeding• Trials are in first year and

were on tilled land, therefore no CA vs. Conv data.

1. Crop rotation under CA and conventional tillage– Lentil and wheat

2. Time of sowing – wheat and vetch at early,

normal and late seeding

• Data analysis underway

Maru station CA experiments

Al Karak governorate farmer demonstrations (2013-2014)

Vicia ervilia Vicia ervilia Vicia ervilia Barley (6 row)

Vicia sativa Barley (2 row)

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500 ZT Biological yield

CT Biological yield

ZT Grain yield

CT Grain yield

Biom

ass (

kg/h

a)

Repairing Syrian ICARDA no-till seeder at Al Ghweer station

Karak region stubble (soil?) grazing

Coming up!

• CRP Dryland System and FAO RNE Water Scarcity Initiative

• ICARDA-FAO • Joined Activities in the Framework of CRP

Dryland Systems and The Near East and North Africa’s Water Scarcity Initiative

• In Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia

• Repaired and new seeders• New farmers (20-30 farmers, 1 ha each)• InshaAllah rain• Motivated team• Great crops!

Coming up!

Some selected farmers for 2014-15