Arboricultural Crops in Morocco

Chapter 1: Characterization of Species to be Produced

• The objective is to enable trainees to characterize plant species for production

Introduction to Arboricultural Crops

• Fruit arboriculture is an integral part of Morocco's economic and social life
• Morocco's geography and climate allow for the cultivation of many fruit species, providing fresh fruit year-round
• Arboriculture helps combat soil erosion, enhance land value, create jobs, and develop the agro-food and cabinetmaking industries

Importance of Arboricultural Crops in Morocco

• Arboricultural crops are cultivated in all regions of Morocco, contributing significantly to the national economy
• They create a large number of jobs annually
• Provide fruits for the country's population
• Generate foreign currency through exports
• Sustain the agro-food industry

Arboricultural Sector Statistics

• In 2019,The area dedicated to arboriculture was 377,000 hectares, accounting for 5% of Morocco's useful agricultural area
• It increased by 46% since 2008

Geographical Distribution

• Key production areas are concentrated in three main regions:
• Fès-Meknès (27%),
• Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima (20%),
• Oriental (13%)

Production

• Rosaceae species with pits cover 234,981 hectares, yielding 548,350 tons
• Rosaceae species with seeds: 57,140 hectares, producing 883,380 tons
• hardy fruits: 84,715 hectares, with a yield of 280,300 tons

Production and Export Trends

• Fruit production doubled from 812,000 tons (2003-2007) to 1.57 million tons (2015-2019)
• Exports increased from 10,000 tons to 13,900 tons in 2019, indicating growing performance

Citrus Sector

• Dominated by three groups: clementines (35%),
• Maroc-Late (21%), and navels (18%)
• This sector is mainly distributed across five regions
• Souss-Massa: 32%
• Rabat-Salé-Kénitra: 20%
• Oriental: 17%
• Béni Mellal-Khénifra: 14%
• Marrakech-Safi: 13%
• Other regions: 4%

Date Palm Sector

• The date palm sector occupies nearly 59,600 hectares, ~1% of Morocco's usable agricultural surface area (SAU)
• Main growing regions:
• Drâa-Tafilalet (77%),
• Souss-Massa (15%),
• Oriental (5%),
• Guelmim Oued Noun (4%).

Olive Sector

• Olives are the main fruit species grown in Morocco, accounting for 65% of the country's tree-growing area
• Ten regions grow olives, with 54% of the area concentrated in Fès-Meknès (33%) and Marrakech-Safi (21%).

Argan Sector

• The argan sector plays a socio-economic role, supporting employment, production, and exports while contributing to ecological balance
• the argan oil offers health, food, and cosmetic products
• Key production areas: Souss-Massa, Marrakech-Safi, and Guelmim-Oued Noun.

Arboriculture Basics

• The core goal of the arboriculture is to produce fresh, dried, or processed edible fruits
• Interrelated disciplines: pedology, hydraulics, bioclimatology, phytotechnology, zoology, botany, and economics

Key Definitions

• Species: A group of organisms with common characteristics that can reproduce with each other
• Variety: An ecological adaptation of a species with morphological particularities, often among wild plants or those that are cultivated
• Cultivar: A group of plants selected for stable hereditary traits, defined by an international code of nomenclature

Origin of Cultivated Varieties

• Derived from successive improvements of existing varieties.
• New varieties are obtained randomly through sowing and fixation (if interesting) or by cross-breeding with other varieties

Tree Morphology

• Cultivated fruit trees consist of two plants: the root system underground and the stem (trunk), branches, and leaves above ground
• The aerial part constitutes the variety or cultivar.
• The root part is supported by the rootstock or subject
• Activity for students to explore and present on branches etc.

Tree Physiology

Stages of Life

• Juvenile State (0-4 years): Rapid growth with high branching, but no flowers or fruit
• Adult State (4-30/40 years): The tree starts to flower and bear fruit, with increasing output(4-9 years) followed by high production (9-30/40 years depending on the species)
• Senescent State: Marked by aging, leading to low output and reduced tree vigor

Annual Growth Cycle

• Cycle is comprised of the vegetative cycle and the reproductive cycle

The Vegetative Cycle

• It starts when the leaves fall (for deciduous species) and lasts until buds break open
• Some species, require a cold period/dormancy
• Species with evergreen leaves simply slow their growth

Cycle in detail

• The vegetative cycle starts with bud break and finishes when the leaves drop
• Roots also start to absorb nutrients from the soil when the temperature is good
• Buds use up stored energy first, then sap turns into refined sap for growth and stored reserves as leaves grow
• In late autumn, sap stops circulating, leaves fall, and the tree goes into dormancy

The Reproductive Cycle

• Floral Induction and Initiation: Hormonal and physiological processes transform a bud into a flower bud
• Dormancy: Growth stops temporarily to survive bad conditions
• Bud Break: Renewed growth, buds swell and open late in winter
• Flowering: Flowers form.

Reproductive Phases continued

• Pollination: Pollen moves from stamen to stigma
• Fertilization: Male and female gametes cross
• Nouaison: The fertilized ovary turns into a young fruit after bloom
• Fruit Development and Ripening

The Olive Tree Cycle

• January-February: Dormancy
• March: Inflorescence and growth begin in the leaf axils of previous year's branches
• April: Full bloom
• Late April-Early May: Fertilization and fruit set occur
• June: Initial fruit development and expansion (floral differentiation)
• September: Véraison (color change)
• October: The fruit ripens and stores oil
• Mid-November to Jan: Harvest

Phenological Stages

• Phenology the study of annual and periodic biological cycles of living things and how they relate to weather

Planning

• Arborists can use phenology to plan when and which treatments to apply

Key Horticultural Families

• Rosaceae (Rose family)
• Rutaceae (Citrus family)
• Arecaceae (Palm family)
• Oleaceae (Olive family)
• Lythraceae
• Vitaceae (Grapes family)
• Moraceae
• Cactaceae (Cactus family)

Examples of Species in each

• Pommiers
• Poirier
• Cognassier - Néfliers du Japon

Environmental and Climatic Requirements

• Morocco has diverse climates, allowing a variety of tree types

Topographical Diversity

• The country has various zones ranging from coastal lowlands to mountainous areas (Atlas and Rif), plateaus, and regions in the center and south

Climate

• Northern coast (Mediterranean with moderate winters/dry summers)
• Arid/semiarid climate in the South

Arboricultural Opportunities

• Morocco's geographical position and diverse climate enable the cultivation of various fruit tree species

Species Classifications

• Temperate (cherry, apple, mulberry, etc.)
• Subtropical and evergreen (citrus, olive, avocado, etc.)
• Tropical (bananas, pineapples, papaya, mango, etc.)
• Temperate Species: Need winter cold to break bud dormancy
• Tropical Species: Crops require under-shelter growing because their climate requirements

Factors to Consider in Planting

• Soil: Use deep, light, fertile, and well-draining soil, avoiding poor drainage and heavy clay
• pH: The range should be between 6 and 7.5
• Exposure: Find an exposure with sunlight and wind shelter that gets good flow
• Slope: mild slopes (2-5%) encourage natural drainage
• Altitude: Choose high elevations for some species while others choose elevation (apples, cherries)

Additional Key Factors

• Rainfall: Certain ones perform at different rainfall levels
• Tree Sunlight Requirements: Fruiting trees need sun to thrive
• Potential Wind Factors: Reliant on species resilience

Olive Tree Cultivation Needs

• Frost- and low-temperature resistance, the best level of moisture, and the best type of light will maximize positive impacts

Technical Details Guide

• Variety: Determine area-specific climate suitability
• Preparation: Deep-soil preparation with labor and improvement
• Planting Depth/Spacing: Maximize plantation of depth and distance
• Nurturing: Maximizing fertilizer, cleaning, and protection is key.

Section 3: Soil Preparation and Setting up

• The purpose now is to ready the soil and set up for any tree species

Soil Preparation

• A goal must be determined and set before preparing for cultivation

Arboricultural Goal

• Plantation of local crops or exportation (commercial scale)
• To produce enough food on premise for all family to eat
• To prepare land for industry harvest via defined means

Variety Factors

• Temperature: Some varieties do better in heat, and some will do better in water absorption
• Resistant, high yield factors: Some crop is of higher quality, which also impacts the production value.
• Easy Harvest: Some trees that are easy to harvest boost market quality

Phase Preparation

• Install a technique; analysis cycle
• Prepare the water amounts; get the equipment
• Estimate work hours; calculate budget

Needed Machines

• Tractors; Plow; Irrigation

Soil Prep: Diagnostic Step

• Soil must remain absorbent, the pH must be measured correctly and element-richness tested.
• To test this, it is necessary to get a soil sample

Soil Labour

• Tilling will loosen the roots, then the cultivation needs drainage (rock separation is key for growing any crop)
• After all of these factors are set up, the proper irrigation needs to be implemented

Culture Installation

• Before harvest, consider fertilizer
• Next is installing irrigation, which needs to be able to water the appropriate amount on the land.
• The variety must be of the correct density; trees need the appropriate amount of space based on soil/weather.
• Production is maximized on the most robust of trees, while maximized harvests boost profits.