Pearl Millet and Cowpea Yields as Influenced by Tillage, Soil Amendment and Cropping System in the Sahel of Burkina Faso

Author(s): Pale Siebou, Serme Idriss, Taonda Sibiri Jean-Baptiste, Ouattara Korodjouma, Mason Stephen C., Sohoro Adama

Sole cropped pearl millet and intercropped pearl millet with cowpea are the dominant cropping systems in the Sahelien agroecological zone of Burkina Faso with low and stagnant pearl millet and cowpea yields. Two experiments were conducted in randomized complete block designs with split plot arrangements and three replications. The main plot was tillage method in both experiments and the sub-plot was soil amendment (compost, fertilizer, and crop residues). The objective was to identify the best combination of tillage method, cropping system, and soil amendment to optimize sole and intercropped millet and intercropped cowpea yields. In Exp. 1, sole crop millet grain yield was increased by soil amendment application from 238 kg ha-1 to 450 to 768 kg ha-1, and stover yields from 551 kg ha-1 to 1075 to 1813 kg ha-1. In Exp. 2, zaï tillage increased sole cropped millet grain yield by 348 to 495 kg ha-1, and intercropped millet by 194 to 202 kg ha-1 over use of no till and scarify. Combined zaï with C + F application increased sole cropped millet grain yield from 288 to 777 kg ha-1 and intercropped millet from 114 to 502 kg ha-1 over zaï without soil amendment. Similar trends were observed for millet stover and intercropped cowpea grain and stover yields. Influence of soil amendment application on grain and stover yields was greatest for sole cropped millet with use of zaï in high rainfall years. This first documentation of differential soil amendment response of sole and intercropped pearl millet with zaï, scarify, and no till systems indicates that the greatest pearl millet grain and stover yield is obtained with application of plough or zaï in combination with C + F, F + CR or C + F + CR soil amendment.

Compost, Fertilizer, No Till, Plough, Sole and Intercrop System, Scarify, Zaï

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