*2.1. Study Area*

The High Eastern plains of Algeria (HEPs) of Algeria are located in the Northeast of the country between the latitudes 35–36.5◦ N and longitudes 4.5–8.3◦ E (Figure 1). The HEPs are characterized by altitudes that vary between 900 and 1200 m. The HEPs are limited to the North and West by the eastern part of Tellian Atlas mountain ranges, to the South by the salt lake called Chott Hodna and the eastern part of the Saharan Atlas mountain ranges, and to the East by Tunisia [22]. In this research, the study of the CC impacts on wheat yield at the level of the semi-arid HEPs is established at two experimental sites. The last are located in two wilayas (or departments) called Sétif and Bordj Bou Arreridj (BBA), regions known for the practice of rainfed durum wheat production. According to the precipitation map established by the National Agency of Water Resources in 1993, the annual average precipitation in the HEPs can reach 500 mm in the North and decrease up to 300 mm in the South and can even reach less than 200 mm in the salt lakes areas. During the period 1995–2009, in the HEPs, the Tmax ranges between 32 and 37 ◦C, while the Tmin varies between 0 and 5 ◦C [23]. The HEPs are more exposed to sunshine radiation thanks to the continental climate and high altitude. This topography made the HEPs well suited to rainfed cereal crops. However, the high variability of annual total precipitation results in extremely variable yields from year to year. The choice of the location of both sites of Sétif and BBA for this study is justified by the availability of soil and climate data, and the availability of phenological data for a cultivar of durum wheat called "Mexicali" at the Setif site.

**Figure 1.** Geographical location of the study area (source [23]).
