Abstract
Rice is one of the staple crops in Burkina Faso. However, the local production covers only 47% of the population demands. One of the main reasons of the poor productivity in Burkina Faso is iron toxicity which is related mainly to the activity of Iron Reducing Bacteria in the rice field’s ecosystems. In order to control the harmful effects of Iron Reducing Bacterial populations and to improve rice productivity, a pots experiment was conducted at the experimental site of the University Ouaga I Pr. Joseph KI-ZERBO. An iron toxic soil from Kou Valley (West of Burkina Faso) and two rice varieties, BOUAKE-189 and ROK-5, sensitive and tolerant to iron toxicity, respectively, were used for the experiment. The pots were drained for 14 days (D2) and amended with chemical fertilizers (NPK + Urea and NPK + Urea + Ca + Mg + Zn complexes). Control pots without drainage and fertilization (D0/NF) were prepared similarly. The kinetics of Iron Reducing Bacterial populations and ferrous iron content in soil near rice roots were monitored throughout the cultural cycle using MPN and colorimetric methods, respectively. The total iron content was evaluated in rice plant using a spectrometric method. Data obtained were analyzed in relation to drainage and fertilization mode, rice growth stage and rice yield using the Student’s t-test and XLSTAT 2014 statistical software. The experiment showed that the combined application of subsurface drainage and NPK + Urea + Ca + Mg + Zn fertilization, reduced significantly the number of IRB in the soil near rice roots for both rice varieties (p = 0.050 and p = 0.020) increased the leaf tissue tolerance to excess amounts of Fe, and rice yield.
Highlights
Rice is the fourth staple crop after sorghum, millet and maize in Burkina Faso [1]
The highest level of reduced soil condition corresponds at these stages of growth at which rice plant enhance the exudation of carbohydrates and other metabolites sustaining Iron Reducing Bacterial (IRB) population growth in soil [18] [21] [48]. These results indicate that in spite of drainage and fertilization mode, rice plant remains the main factor that modulates the dynamic of IRB during rice cultural cycle, as reported by Jacq et al [48]
In the present study, the oxidation power of the subsurface drainage [6] combined to the mineral (Ca, Mg, Mn P, K and Zn) fertilization may optimize the acquisition of Fe by rice plant for an improved growth and yield [55] [63] [64]
Summary
Rice is the fourth staple crop after sorghum, millet and maize in Burkina Faso [1]. the local production of rice covers only 47% of the population demands. Sikirou et al [3] reported that one reason for the poor productivity in wetlands in West Africa is the prevalence of biotic and abiotic stresses. The abiotic stresses include drought, submergence and iron toxicity [4] [5] [6]. The iron toxicity is recognized as one of the most widespread nutritional disorders and one of the major edaphic constraints of lowlands in West Africa that affects crop growth, especially rice growth [7] [8] [9] [10]. Chérif et al [5] reported that about 55% of the rice area is affected by Fe toxicity in three West African countries (Guinea, Ivory Coast and Ghana), with about 10% of rice cultivation area abandoned due to severe iron toxicity
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