Authors : F. Bahlouli, A. Amroune, S. Tellache, A. Tiaiba, A. Zedam and A. Slamani
Abstract: Algeria is vast country which presents several bioclimatic stages and agro-ecological which supports the production, a multitude of agricultural produce. The steppe forms integral part of this extent of which importance is hardly lower than the other areas. Hodna is in the middle of the Algerian steppe, it is a relatively degraded basin of 25000 km2, consequence of a prolonged dryness and an overgrazing. This study is devoted to the diagnosis of the current location of the perimeter of the plain of M’sila which is in the Western Northern zone of the basin of Hodna on a geographical area of a surface of 780 km2. The population is dense in North with the existence of an urban centre and a relatively populated rural area in the South, the population is less dense with relatively distant urban centers. The plain of M’sila receives an annual rain average of 213.20 mm, the rains of Autumn are sometimes torrential which gives birth to abrupt risings and devastators. The thermal amplitude of the station of M’sila is of 35.02°C. The dominant winds are the wind of West known as Dahraoui, wind of North known as Bahri and the Sirocco which is hot wind and blowing dryness of the South and which blocks the development of the cultures by accentuating their drying. The diagram ombrothermic allows to identify existence; only one period of 3 months dryness, the end of May at the end of August. The zone study is made up an alluvial plain of low altitudes, <400 m made of alluvial deposits of quaternary (alluvia, clays and sands) with a soft slope <3%, pertaining to steppe bioclimatic stage. The ground is not very advanced of alluvial contribution with limono-argillaceous texture rather deep. Occupation of the ground by the vegetation is diversified, one noted a broad diversity of the agricultural activity which settled current the last years which exceeds 54,700 ha, the fallow exceed half of agricultural surfaces during the agricultural partner 2009/2010, the cultivation of cereals which occupies 36% of the grounds followed by the fodder cultures and fruit-bearing arboriculture at a rate of 5 and 4%, respectively. The exploration of the not cultivated plant species of the area study, counts 550 tax relating to the steppe communities with Chott El Hodna. One finds there many species endemic with the area of Hodna such as Saccocalyx saturoides, Arnebia decumbens and Linaria laxiflora that one finds only in this area. As well as endemic species North African such as Muricaria prostrata, Loncophora capiomontiana, Rhanterium suaveolens, Stippa tenacissima L., Artimisia herba alba, Anabasis oropediorum L., Salsola vermiculata L., Atriplex halimus and Salicornia arabica L. The zone of study, like the majority of the steppe zones is with vocation agropastorale with manpower of the ovine breeding bordering the 130.000. The zone study belongs to the large catchment area of Chott El Hodna, characterized by a very dense hydrographic network where the rivers take their sources in the mounts of Hodna, the principal river is El-K’sob. The near total of water of the plain of M’sila has a temperature which varies between 21.5 and 22°C, this translated by a strong corrosion of the casing of the drillings. The majority of water of this plain have a strong conductivity, therefore a degree of raised mineralization in the event of irrigation with this salt water charged one can expect falls of outputs.
F. Bahlouli, A. Amroune, S. Tellache, A. Tiaiba, A. Zedam and A. Slamani, 2012. Agro-Ecological Study of the Plain of M’sila, Western Northern Zone of the Basin of Hodna, Wilaya of M’sila, Algeria. Agricultural Journal, 7: 10-16.