Cropping Systems in the Sudano-Sahelian Zone: Implications on Soil Fertility Management over Varied Seasons

Bationo, A.; Kimetu, J.M.; Kihara, Job; Traore, Z.; Bagayoko, M.; Bado, Vincent B.; Lompo, M.; Tabo, Ramadjita; Koala, Saidou

doi:10.1007/978-94-007-2938-4_8

Cited by 13 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…6). Such low yields could be due to declining soil fertility through exhaustive cropping practices and soil erosion in the semi-arid zone of West Africa (Bationo et al 2007(Bationo et al , 2003. Applying irrigation did not improve the performance of S. bicolor in the zone of influence of either P. biglobosa or V. paradoxa trees in comparison with the controls.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

Separating competition-related factors limiting crop performance in an agroforestry parkland system in Burkina Faso

Bazié

Bayala²,

Zombré

et al. 2012

Agroforest Syst

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To address tree-soil-crop interactions in the Sahel, we examined the growth-limiting factors (water, light and mineral nutrients) of Sorghum bicolor growing under trees in agroforestry parklands of Burkina Faso. Growth and yields of sorghum were measured after (1) pruning crowns of Vitellaria paradoxa and Parkia biglobosa trees, and (2) applying mineral fertilizers (nitrogen and/or phosphorus) and supplemental irrigation during normal wet cropping seasons in 2007 and 2008. Irrigation treatments led to non-significant 29% and 23% gains in grain and dry matter yields (from control values of 455 and 1,140 kg ha -1 ), respectively. The fertilizer showed variable but in general significant increases in grain and straw yields and more consistently in the height of sorghum plants. The crown pruning increased the values of these variables much more strongly, by 520% and 348% (from control, no-pruning values of 282 and 612 kg ha -1 ), respectively. The growth and production of S. bicolor were also[56% higher under V. paradoxa than under P. biglobosa. The same trends were observed in both cropping seasons, although rainfall was much heavier in 2008 than in 2007, and the mean sorghum grain yield was approximately twice as high in 2008. The results clearly indicate that competition for light limits sorghum growth more than competition for other resources in the studied system, suggesting that parkland management should aim at either increasing light availability (by reducing tree density or pruning) or growing shade-tolerant crops under the trees. However, use of a poorly soluble phosphorus source during the first year, modest amount of water applied through the supplemental irrigation (48 mm) and the wetness of the rainy season in 2008 (which led to abandonment of the irrigation treatments and floods in the experimental plots) may have masked possible effects of the applied fertilizers and irrigation. Therefore, more prolonged analyses of the effects of fertilizers and deficit irrigation are required before robust recommendations can be made to farmers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

Separating competition-related factors limiting crop performance in an agroforestry parkland system in Burkina Faso

Bazié

Bayala²,

Zombré

et al. 2012

Agroforest Syst

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“…Thus the drylands include much of the Sahel, the belt running across the southern fringe of the Sahara. Annual rainfall in the Sahel varies from 200 mm in the north to 1000 mm in the south (Bationo et al, 2006) with high year to year variability and longer term trends throughout the period of available records (Dai et al, 2004;Guichard et al, 2010). The inhabitants of the area are farmers and pastoralists who suffer most from rainfall uncertainty and risks of drought.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The traditional crop-tree-livestock systems of the parklands, which cover much of the region, are rapidly degrading. Woody biodiversity and cover is being lost (Gijsbers et al, 1994), and soil fertility is declining from already low levels through cropping practices that mine nutrients and expose the soil to erosion (Bationo et al, 2003). Population growth is probably the most important driver underlying these trends (FAO, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cereal yield response to conservation agriculture practices in drylands of West Africa: A quantitative synthesis

Bayala¹,

Sileshi

Coe

et al. 2012

Journal of Arid Environments

140

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a b s t r a c tTo address the decline in crop productivity in the drylands of West Africa, many initiatives have focused on combating soil degradation. Various practices including (1) parkland trees associated with crops, (2) coppicing trees, (3) green manure, (4) mulching, (5) crop rotation and intercropping, and (6) traditional soil/water conservation have been tested. The present study attempts to provide a comprehensive, quantitative synthesis of existing reports on the effect of conservation agriculture (CA) practices on crop yield response in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Senegal. Out of a total of 155 reports found, 63 fulfilled all the appropriate criteria to be included in the meta-analysis of the effect of various conservation agriculture practices on the yield response of maize, millet and sorghum. The study revealed significant variability in cereal yield response (and hence risk) with all the practices examined. Despite the variability, the mean effects of the six CA practices on crop yield were more positive than negative except with parkland trees. However, for this last practice, species like Faidherbia albida exerts more positive impact on crop yield. Yield increases relative to the control were higher with green manure and mulching than with coppicing trees and parklands. Increases in yield in the six CA practices were higher on low to medium productivity sites for maize, millet and sorghum. Coppicing trees and rotations improved yields when the rainfall is >800 mm whereas the opposite happens with parkland and soilewater conservation measures. Mulching performed better when the rainfall is <600 mm. The variability (and hence yield risks) calls for more understanding of the processes and application of appropriate tree management to reduce crop yield losses while still providing products (fruits, leaves, wood, etc.) and services (soil carbon building up) for long-term sustainability of the production systems in drylands of West Africa.

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“…The characteristics of the selected villages are summarized in Table 1 The sites in the Sahelian zone, the vegetation before human impact was semi-desert grasslands and thorny shrub lands to wooded grasslands and bush land. The traditional parkland systems (integrated crop-tree-livestock systems), are the main source of food, income and environmental services, but are rapidly deteriorating; biodiversity and cover of woody species is being lost, soil fertility is declining from already low levels due to exhaustive cropping practices and soil erosion (Bationo et al, 2003). The sites in the Sudanian zone, the original vegetation is woodland and dry forest.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Local Communities Demand for Food Tree Species and the Potentialities of Their Landscapes in Two Ecological Zones of Burkina Faso

Thiombiano¹,

Lamien²,

Castro-Euler³

et al. 2013

OJF

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We examined demand and supply of Food Tree Species (FTS) products in Burkina Faso. The hypotheses were: 1) demand for FTS products by local communities exceeds what can be sustainably extracted, and 2) local communities of the Sudanian zone have access to more diverse FTS products compared to Sahelian zone. Surveys were conducted in 300 households and 360 quadrats in landscapes surrounding 6 villages to determine the diversity, richness and availability of FTS. The results indicate that local communities tend to exploit FTS which are rare to find or absent in the landscape surrounding their village. While the range of FTS largely exploited tends to coincide across the two ecological zones, the diversity and density of the preferred FTS are discordant between the two zones. The results of the present study further support the need for conservation and restoration strategies to sustain the local communities demand for FTS products.

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Cropping Systems in the Sudano-Sahelian Zone: Implications on Soil Fertility Management over Varied Seasons

Cited by 13 publications

References 15 publications

Separating competition-related factors limiting crop performance in an agroforestry parkland system in Burkina Faso

Separating competition-related factors limiting crop performance in an agroforestry parkland system in Burkina Faso

Cereal yield response to conservation agriculture practices in drylands of West Africa: A quantitative synthesis

Local Communities Demand for Food Tree Species and the Potentialities of Their Landscapes in Two Ecological Zones of Burkina Faso

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