Abstract
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.
Highlights
In the Sahelian agroecological zone of the poor West African country of Burkina Faso, sole cropped pearl millet and intercropped pearl millet with cowpea are the dominant cropping systems (World Bank, 2019)
This study found that sole cropped and intercropped pearl millet grain and stover, and intercropped cowpea yield was greatest in high rainfall years
Pearl millet grain and stover yields were greater in sole crop, the intercrop of pearl millet and cowpea produced a total of 890 kg ha-1 grain and 1827 kg ha-1 of stover compared to 363 kg ha-1 grain and 948 kg ha-1 stover for sole cropped pearl millet
Summary
In the Sahelian agroecological zone of the poor West African country of Burkina Faso, sole cropped pearl millet and intercropped pearl millet with cowpea are the dominant cropping systems (World Bank, 2019). The economy is agriculture-based, with 90% of the population involved in subsistence agriculture In this agroecological zone, pearl millet and cowpea both have low and stagnant 17-yr. Average yields of 708 kg ha-1 for sorghum and 635 kg ha-1 for cowpea (MAAH/DGESS, 2016), while soils are degrading with soil organic matter and nutrient levels declining, thereby reducing water and nutrient holding capacity (Sanchez et al, 1997; Mason et al, 2015a; Mason et al, 2015b). Ploughing has been shown to increase soil porosity, rooting depth, soil water storage, and reduce evaporation (Nicou et al, 1993; Ouattara et al, 2006). Leaving crop residue as a mulch on the soil surface increases soil organic matter concentration (Klaij and Hoogmoed, 1993), soil nutrient levels (Michels et al, 1995) and catches
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