Olive agroforestry can improve land productivity even under low water availability in the South Mediterranean

Agroforestry systems can be an effective means of stabilizing or even enhancing crop yields under climate change. Although trees compete with crops for soil resources in agroforestry,they also improve crops' growing conditions, especially, by providing shade drought. They promote higher and harvest quality the drylands. However, beneficial effect tree may depend on seasonal pattern rainfall, which determines compensation between yield components. In this study, we evaluated two annual (durum wheat faba bean) olive agroforestry northern Morocco. We manipulated water supply a field experiment to span high inter-annual rainfall variability at site tested whether reduce yields. assessed addition growth, components, final estimated land equivalent ratio agroforestry. limited growth whatever regime. The magnitude grain reduction was around 50 % both 2018, probably due shade. number grains per unit area most impacted component 2018 2019. contrast, only had effects bean yield, although it enhanced 11 spikes 13 %. improved individual weight 39 17 bean, protein content straw 4 9 improvements were not sufficient compensate loss Despite lower yields, show that are still more productive than sole trees, arid conditions. how changing impact performance drier future.