Organic resources and earthworms affect phosphorus availability to sorghum after phosphate rock addition in semi-arid West Africa

Abstract

A field experiment was laid out in Burkina Faso (West Africa) on an Eutric Cambisol to investigate the interaction of organic resource quality and phosphate rock on crop yield and to assess the contribution of earthworms (Millsonia inermis Michaelsen) to P availability after phosphate rock application. Organic resources of different quality were applied at a dose equivalent to 40 kg N ha −1 with or without phosphate rock from Kodjari (Burkina Faso) at a dose equivalent to 25 kg P ha −1 , and were compared with control and single phosphate rock treatments in a factorial complete block design with four replicates. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) variety SARIASSO 14 was grown. Sheep dung had the highest impact on earthworm casting intensity followed by maize straw. Combining organic resources with phosphate rock reduced earthworm casting activities compared to a single application of organic resources or phosphate rock. Addition of phosphate rock to maize straw reduced P availability in earthworm casts whereas combining sheep dung or compost with phosphate rock increased P availability. The contribution of earthworms to Kodjari phosphate rock solubilisation mainly occurred through their casts, as the available P content of casts was 4 times higher than that of the surrounding soil.

Application of Raw Rock Phosphate and Earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris L.) On The Development and Nutrient Content of Corn Plant

“…In worm and nonworm applications, the usefulness of phosphorus has increased more than control application (Table 2). Similar studies on this subject support this research (Ouédraogo et al 2005;Hosseini et al 2010).…”

“…Earthworms break up the wastes during nutrition period; they accelerate decomposition of the substances and the change of physico-chemical features of the materials (Orozco et al 1996; Vinceslas-Akpa *  Corresponding author email: ekaraarslan@selcuk.edu.tr and Loquet 1997). Earthworms increase phosphorus availability from the soils to the plants when they are well entreated with manure (P) that has low solubility such as phosphate rock (Ouédraogo et al 2005).…”

La macrofaune du sol améliore l’efficience de l’utilisation de l’énergie par les microorganismes

“…Cependant, la qualité et la quantité de la matière organique apportée au sol affecte les microorganismes (Konaté et al, 2003 ;Doamba, 2009) responsables de la minéralisation et par conséquent, de la mise à disposition des nutriments aux cultures. Il est en effet reconnu que les microorganismes telluriques jouent un rôle déterminant dans le recyclage des éléments nutritifs, la facilitation des processus chimiques, et surtout dans l'amélioration des rendements (Konaté et al, 2003 ;Ouédraogo et al, 2004 ;Ouédraogo et al, 2005 ;Lavelle et al, 2006 ;Oberson et al, 2006 ;Chapuis-Lardy et al, 2009 ;Pey, 2010 ;Doamba et al, 2011 ;Zida et al, 2011 ;Traoré, 2012 ;Ouédraogo et al, 2014 a et b). En outre, la diversité des organismes du sol et la relation entre ces organismes, permettent d'améliorer la résilience du sol.…”