Sorghum and cowpea productivity as influenced by tillage, cropping system with soil amendment in Centre-West Region of Burkina Faso

Abstract

Improving crop productivity requires integrated management of soil fertility. This study aimed to assess the effects of tillage and the cropping system with soil amendment on the productivity of sorghum and cowpea. The experimental design was a completely randomized block with the treatments arranged in a split plot and three repetitions. Four tillage methods were allocated to the main plots and four cropping systems combined with four types of soil amendment were allocated to the sub plots. The results showed that ploughing and tied-ridging generated higher grain yields of sorghum than minimum tillage and manual zaï. The two cropping systems 1) 2 rows of sorghum alternated with 2 rows of semi-erect habit cowpea and 2) 1 or 2 row(s) of sorghum alternated with 1 or 2 row(s) of creeping habit cowpea in interaction with soil amendments generated higher grain yields for sorghum ranging from 895 to 1097 kg ha-1 and stover yields ranging from 1913 to 2370 kg ha-1 in the third year of study. Minimum tillage and ploughing proved to be more efficient in improving cowpea grain yields in the cropping system of 1 row of sorghum alternated with 1 row of creeping cowpea with soil amendment. These results show that tillage and crop association with soil amendments are likely to optimize agricultural productivity.