Abstract
Salinity stress, drought and the lack of water supply are major constraints limiting rice productivity in rainfed lowland of the Sine Saloum region. To alleviate these constraints, several actions have been undertaken including construction of anti-salt dykes and using of salt tolerant varieties. The objectives of this study were: (a) analyze the hydraulic operation of these lowlands and salinity rate during wet season. (b) To test, the response of new salt-tolerant varieties, with different fertilizers and to identify the best suitable. Trials were conducted in two sites. The level of groundwater and salinity were measured during two wet seasons in two sites. At least 100 mm of rainfall are required to decrease salinity (EC) below 3 dS / m on a leveled land, before sowing. Before sowing, the management of water flow at the anti-salt dam must take into account not only the leaching of salt, but also the groundwater recharge. It is this groundwater that will allow rice to reach maturity, at the end of rains by mitigating late season drought. In both sites, D14 and IR70870-B-P-2-2 were the most biomass productive varieties. Among the eleven rice varieties tested, five have performed well with the average grain yields of 4 t.ha-1. Key words: Rainfall, groundwater, sea water, new salt-tolerant varieties, lowland.
Highlights
Rice is the most important food crop of the developing world and the staple food in the Sahelian nations of West Africa
The management of water flow at the anti-salt dam must take into account the leaching of salt, and the groundwater recharge
Intrusion of sea water in lowland has induced higher salinity in Ndour ndour compared to Ndinderling
Summary
Rice is the most important food crop of the developing world and the staple food in the Sahelian nations of West Africa. Senegal is one of the biggest rice importers in West Africa, (800,000 t per year) about 60% of local consumption (FAO-stat, 2012). In term of surface area, the rainfed lowland system is the most important reaching 60% of total rice-farming in Senegal (SAED, 2012). Rice yields are generally low (Yoshida and Benta, 1983). Salinity stress caused by intrusion of sea water in these lowlands is the major constraint limiting rice-farming (Mbodj, 2001), (Camara et al, 2007). Water use efficiency on-farm is low, due to meantime and late season droughts, high evapotranspiration and failure of water control infrastructures (Tomar and Toole, 1980; Lilley and Fukai, 1994)
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