Sustainability of Coastal Agriculture in the Face of Soil Degradation: The Influence of Water Salinization as an Example

Abstract

The pump-irrigated soils of the coastal Chaouia in Morocco are subject to changes in their qualities due to the quality of the irrigation water and their proximity to the sea. This work aims to approach irrigation water quality and the influence of these waters on the quality of agricultural soils. The study is based on the systematic and selective sampling of water and soils (19 water samples and 19 soil samples). Analyzed parameters mainly include the salinity and pH of the soil and water samples. The main results show that soil pH varies from 6.81 to 7.7. However, the pH of the water varies from 6.22 to 8.13. The electrical conductivity in soils varies from 12,260 μs/cm to 700 μs/cm and from 1123 μs/cm to 8120 μs/cm. The results of the analysis of soil salinity show that in moving away from the sea, the salinity decreases, and the salinity of the water samples follows the same trend. The Richard and Wilcox graphs show that most water samples taken near the sea are highly mineralized and have poor water quality. This paper presents important aspects of the feasibility of coastal agriculture and can be a source of inspiration for future research and planning of coastal agriculture.