Abstract
The production of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.) is important in Namibia, in sub-Saharan Africa, owing to the prevailing low precipitation conditions. Most fields supporting crop production in northern Namibia are located in a network of seasonal wetlands. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of ridging and fertilizer application on the yield and the growth of pearl millet in the seasonal wetlands under different rainfall conditions. The study was conducted for two years (2017–2018) in the experimental fields in northern Namibia, and yield, yield components, and growth parameters were evaluated in relation to the application of different fertilizers (manure and mineral) with and without ridge-furrows. Manure fertilizer application presented the highest yield in 2018, whereas mineral fertilizer application showed the highest yield in 2017. The proportion of rainfall was the highest during the mid-growth period in 2017, and the reproductive stage in 2018. Thus, pearl millet plants under manure fertilization overcame damage resulting from waterlogging stress during the seed setting stage by improving the soil and plant nutrient conditions. In contrast, the plants under mineral fertilization were more tolerant to large amounts of rain during the mid-growth period. In this study, yield was mainly determined by total dry weight, and it was closely related to panicle density in both years. Therefore, we concluded that fertilizer application, including additional fertilizer based on the growth diagnostic, could be important for improving crop production in seasonal wetlands.
Highlights
Challenges associated with sustainable food production are being intensified by climate change, which is expected to have relatively higher effects in semi-arid and arid regions than in any other region
Pearl millet is a staple food for more than 60% of the population in Namibia, and water accumulating in these seasonal wetlands, which are the lower sections of field slopes, influences the yield gradient [9]
The optimal cultivation management of pearl millet in seasonal wetlands differed with the rainfall patterns (2017 and 2018)
Summary
Challenges associated with sustainable food production are being intensified by climate change, which is expected to have relatively higher effects in semi-arid and arid regions than in any other region Human activities in these areas lead to land degradation, biodiversity reduction, and increased water scarcity [1,2]. Pearl millet is a staple food for more than 60% of the population in Namibia, and water accumulating in these seasonal wetlands, which are the lower sections of field slopes, influences the yield gradient [9]. These seasonal wetlands have the potential to produce high yields of pearl millet in drought years because of the suitable water environment and soil fertility [10]. Cultivation in the seasonal wetlands could improve the agricultural production system in northern Namibia [11]
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