Abstract
The prominent effects of a soil surface crust on crop production, impedance to seedling emergence and reduced infiltration rate, were examined using a quantitative land evaluation model under the Sahelian environmental and soil conditions of north-central Burkina Faso. The model integrated data from climate, soil and crop for quantifying potential grain yield of sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor), grown on a sandy loam soil for 14 production years (1977–1990). Crust development was induced using `simulated rainfall' with an intensity of 75 mm h −1 from a 2 m height. Results revealed that seeding sorghum in small holes without sufficiently breaking the surface crust depressed grain yield. Observed and potential yield correlated closely over a 7-year period ( r = 0.79, p < = 0.05). Substantial yield gap was found between estimated potential yield (crust broken scenario set to 75% of the predicted yield) and observed, indicating however, the possibility of significantly improving yield by using appropriate tillage to break the crust before seeding.
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