Conservation Agriculture in the Drylands of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region: Past Trend, Current Opportunities, Challenges and Future Outlook
Conventional tillage coupled with monocropping and limited recycling of crop residues along with increased pressure from human and livestock population has led to the degradation of the soil, water resources, and the environment in the Middle...
Detection of Novel Variations Related to Litter Size in BMP15 Gene of Luzhong Mutton Sheep ( Ovis aries)
Litter size is an important economic trait in the mutton sheep industry. BMP15 is one of the key candidate genes for litter size in sheep. In this study, the entire ORF region of BMP15 was sequenced in 154 Luzhong mutton ewes, and the novel...
Modelling the impact of soil and water conservation structures at various scales in Tunisian semi-arid region
In central-northern Tunisia, a combination of dryness, erratic rainfalls, and the undulating terrain create an erosion-prone environment. Soil and water conservation (SWC) measures have been widely applied to reduce the losses of water and top...
Tolerance capability of desert sheep and goats to exercise heat stress under hot dry conditions, and its correlation with their production performance
The study aims to investigate tolerance capability of desert Barki sheep and goats to exercise heat stress (EHS) under the hot-dry conditions of Coastal Zone of Western Desert, in Egypt. Over the period from 2009 to 2014, mature ewes and does...
Assessment of water resources system in Qena governorate, Upper Egypt under different hydrological and agronomic conditions
This paper assessed the current water resources system and two future scenarios in the Qena Governorate by developing a Water Balance Model (WB Model) and Water Security Quality-based Index (WSQI). The first scenario presented 25% reduction in...
Benefits of Short-Duration, High-Stocking Rate Opportunistic Grazing on Arid Rangelands During Favorable Conditions
The aim of this study was to assess the impact of short grazing periods with high-stocking density on vegetation during weather conditions favorable to plant growth. Continuous grazing is widely practiced in Tunisian arid rangelands and across...
