Studies on Agricultural Utilization of Sand Dunes of South Kuwait through Soil Reclamation
Main Article Content
Abstract
Southern part of the Kuwait contains extensive mobile and semi-stabilized sand deposits whose coarse texture, low water retention and weak nutrient reserve constrain agricultural use. low soil organic matter and limited freshwater availability dominated by arid to hyper-arid desert conditions This study assessed the reclamation potential of dune sand amended with mixed cow-camel dung. Where two plant species selected based on their properties of short-duration vegetable crop and Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) as a drought-adapted succulent medicinal crop and Three sand: manure mixtures of each plant were tested: 50:50 (T1/A1), 60:40 (T2/A2) and 70:30 (T3/A3). Tomato was monitored first followed by Aloe vera plant due to area constrains for experimental setup. The field experiment set up used replicated plants within three rows per treatment; measurements included shoot/stem height, stem diameter, leaf count, leaf appearance, tomato fruiting, and Aloe vera offsets for leaf count, leaf size, appearance for sap content and baby plant counts offsets production, field observations were analyzed by treatment-level means, changes over time, and comparative performance against controls where available. Soil pH and water-holding capacity were also recorded for the mixture amendments and without Amendment, a lowering in pH from 7.8 to 6.2-7.2, recorded in other hand water-holding capacity raised from 5-7% to 10-30%. Tomato growth improved under all treatments, results indicated the earliest recorded fruit appearance under the 70:30 mixture, while the 60:40 mixture produced the most consistently vigorous early vegetative growth. Aloe vera in the 70:30 mixture showed the strongest mean height (405.0 mm), mean stem diameter (54.0 mm), mean leaf number (15.0) and mean offsets (18.5), exceeding the control. The study recommends a 70:30 dune sand: well-composted cow-camel dung blend for Aloe vera establishment and a 60:40 blend as a more conservative starting medium for tomato, subject to irrigation, salinity and nutrient monitoring. This research results support the feasibility of using locally available organic manure of cow-camel dung to reclaim sandy dune substrates for selected crops, which will be economically feasible too, in future trials salinity monitoring, and long-term soil-quality assessment to be integrated,
Article Details
Section
How to Cite
References
1. Al-Dousari, A. M., Al-Sahli, M., Al-Awadhi, J., Al-Enezi, A. K., Al-Dousari, N., & Ahmed, M. (2023). Sand dunes in Kuwait: Morphometric and chemical characteristics. In A. E. K. A. El-Aal, J. M. Al-Awadhi, & A. Al-Dousari (Eds.), The Geology of Kuwait. Springer.
2. Al-Dousari, A. M., et al. (2022). Sand dunes in Kuwait, morphometric and chemical characteristics. In Regional Geology Reviews. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16727-0_3
3. Al-Helal, A. B., & Al-Awadhi, J. M. (2005). Assessment of sand encroachment in Kuwait using GIS. Environmental Geology, 49, 960-967.
4. Bot, A., & Benites, J. (2005). The importance of soil organic matter: Key to drought-resistant soil and sustained food production. FAO Soils Bulletin 80. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
5. Cristiano, G., Murillo-Amador, B., & De Lucia, B. (2016). Propagation techniques and agronomic requirements for the cultivation of Barbados aloe (Aloe vera (L.) Burm. F.) - A review. Frontiers in Plant Science, 7, 1410.
6. Ddamulira, G., Malaala, A., Otim, A., Florence, N., & Maphosa, M. (2022). Soil amendments improved tomato growth, yield and soil properties. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 13, 960-971.
7. El-Hady, O. A., Shaaban, S. M., & Wanas, S. A. (2012). Effect of hydrogels and organic composts on soil hydrophysical properties and on production of tomato. Acta Horticulturae, 933, 83-90. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2012.933.12
8. FAO. (2026). WASAG - Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
9. Faoziah, N., Iskandar, & Djajakirana, G. (2022). The effect of cow manure compost and fly ash-bottom ash addition on the chemical properties of sandy soil and tomato growth. Jurnal Ilmu Tanah dan Lingkungan, 24(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.29244/jitl.24.1.1-5
10. Hasanuzzaman, M., Ahamed, K. U., Khalequzzaman, K. M., Shamsuzzaman, A. M. M., & Nahar, K. (2008). Plant characteristics, growth and leaf yield of Aloe vera as affected by organic manure in pot culture. Australian Journal of Crop Science, 2, 158-163.
11. Khalaf, F. I. (1989). Desertification and aeolian processes in the Kuwait Desert. Journal of Arid Environments, 16(2), 125-145. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-1963(18)31020-6
12. Miller, E. A., et al. (2021). Organic amendments alter soil hydrology and belowground microbiome of tomato. mSystems, 6(4), e00642-21. https://doi.org/10.1128/mSystems.00642-21
13. Misak, R., Omar, S., & Abdulhadi, A. (2023). Geomorphology and sustainable management for the sand dunes of Kuwait. In Sand Dunes of the Northern Hemisphere: Distribution, Formation, Migration and Management. CRC Press.
14. Mohammed, E., & Al-Hurban, A. (2025). Sand dune characteristics and migration in the south of the Jal Al-Liyah area, Kuwait. Journal of Geographic Information System, 17(4), 220-251.
15. Murillo-Amador, B., Luna-Cisneros, M. J., Nieto-Garibay, A., Aguilar-Garcia, M. T., Troyo-Dieguez, E., & Garcia-Hernandez, J. L. (2007). Manual para la produccion de sabila en el Valle del Carrizal. Centro de Investigaciones Biologicas del Noroeste.
16. Naon, B., Zougmore, F., et al. (2026). Impact of organic amendments (dromedary droppings and cow dung) on the physico-chemical properties of three arid soils and their water-holding capacity. International Journal of Plant & Soil Science, 38(4), 139-151. https://doi.org/10.9734/ijpss/2026/v38i46037
17. Rahil Ayaz, Jafri, A., (2026). Agricultural Utilization of Sand Dunes in South Kuwait: A Review of Soil Reclamation Techniques and Sustainable Practices. Journal of Animal Environment, 18(2),1083-1089.
18. Rahman, A., & Widjajanto, D. (2024). The use of organic fertilizer to enhance soil water availability and promote the growth of tomatoes in sandy loam soils. Jurnal Teknik Pertanian Lampung, 14(3), 1034-1039.
19. Saidu, A., Bello, L. Y., Tsado, E. K., & Ibrahim, F. K. (2011). Effect of cow dung on the performance of tomato. International Journal of Applied Biological Research, 17, 169-176.
20. Silva, H., Sagardia, S., Seguel, O., Torres, C., Tapia, C., Franck, N., & Cardemil, L. (2010). Effect of water availability on growth and water use efficiency for biomass and gel production in Aloe vera. Industrial Crops and Products, 31, 20-27.
21. Tonfack, L. B., Bernadac, A., Youmbi, E., Mbouapouognigni, V. P., Ngueguim, M., & Akoa, A. (2009). Impact of organic and inorganic fertilizers on tomato vigor, yield and fruit composition under tropical andosol soil conditions, 64, 167-177.