Annual Medicago species in Morocco. II. Distribution in relation to soil and climate

Abstract

An ecogeographic survey was conducted in six key agricultural zones in Morocco to study the relationship between the natural distribution of medic species and soil and climatic measurements. At each of the 161 sites visited, the presence of medic species was recorded, and soil samples collected. Climatic data were obtained from published records. The influence of soil factors on the presence of medic species was more important than that of climate. With the exception of M. truncatula and M. minima, there were significant soil differences between sites where a species was present and sites where it was absent. Only 5 of the 11 medic species recorded were affected by one or more of the three climatic factors considered. Medics were found most frequently on sites where minimum temperature range was 3-7�C, pH 6.6-7.5, and with the exception of M. littoralis and M. laciniata, maximum temperature 30-35�C and rainfall 300-600 mm. M. truncatula was widespread and tolerant of a wide range of edapho-climatic conditions. It was concluded that this well studied species should be given higher priority in future evaluation programs.

Annual Pasture Legumes: A Vital Component Stabilizing and Rehabilitating Low-Rainfall Mediterranean Ecosystems

“…In general, greater species and ecotypic diversity is found where conditions are most favorable (Ehrman & Cocks, 1990). Bounejmate et al (1992b) were able to show that more medic species were found in M orocco at sites with near± neutral pH, high soil phosphorus status, and high clay content.…”

Autoécologie et distribution du complexe d'espècesMedicago ciliaris-M. intertextaen Algérie

“…Au Maroc, Bounejmate ( 1992) et Bounejmate et a/. ( 1992aBounejmate et a/. ( , 1992bBounejmate et a/.…”

“…It also results from this that the geographical distribution of M. intertexta is limited to the North-East of Algeria, under a sub-humid and humid bioclimate, on soils low in calcium and in altitudes below 250 m in mean. (Piano eta/., 1991 ), en Espagne et Portugal (Prosperi et a/., 1989), au Maroc (Bounejmate et a/., 1992b ), en Algerie (Abdelguerfi eta/., 1988b;Adem, 1989;Abdelguerfi, 1995) et en Mediterranee occidentale (Prosperi et a/., 1991 (Prosperi et a/., 1991) ; M. ciliaris est aussi considere comme frequent en Algerie (39.6%) (Abdelguerfi, 1978 ;Abdelguerfi et a/., 1988aAbdelguerfi et a/., et 1988b. Au Maroc, Bounejmate ( 1992) et Bounejmate et a/.…”

The career and contribution to Australian and international agricultural science of Clive McDonald Francis: an introduction

“…The results of these networks have been scientifically very fruitful, resulting in large and well-organised genetic resource collections, such as those undertaken in Libya (Gintzburger and Blesing 1979), Sardinia (Piano et al 1982), and Morocco (Bounejmate et al 1992). The networks continue in operation with ongoing collaboration, an example of which is the current collaboration in the domestication of tedera (Bituminaria bituminosa var.…”