Trees and windbreaks in the Sahel: establishment, growth, nutritive, and calorific values

Abstract

Tree and windbreak species considered for the Southern Sahelian Zone (SSZ) of West Africa have to be evaluated following multiple criteria such as fast establishment, shelter efficiency, production of feed for livestock, and firewood. An on-station experiment was conducted on a sandy soil in southwest Niger between 1988 and 1993 to assess the establishment, growth, nutritive, and calorific values of seven species considered for windbreaks:Andropogon gayanus, Bauhinia rufescens, Acacia holosericea, Acacia nilotica, Acacia senegal, Faidherbia albida, andAzadirachta indica. Mortality and stem diameter were monitored twice a year. From 20 months after planting (MAP) onwards, species were annually trimmed to 2 m height and to 1 m sidewards of the main stem. Fresh and dry weight of leaves, twigs, wood, and fruits were recorded. Leaves were analyzed for crude protein (CP) and metabolizable energy (ME) content. Wood was analyzed for its gross calorific value and its ash content. At 56 MAP, all species had less than 5% morality, except forA. holosericea, which had a mortality rate of 15.9%.A. indica andA. holosericea showed the highest stem diameter among species with 12.2 and 11.8 cm, respectively, at 56 MAP.A. senegal had the highest dry matter production with 22.3 t ha−1 at 56 MAP, followed byA. indica (12.0 t ha−1),A. holosericea (11.7 t ha−1) andB. rufescens (11.2 t ha−1), butA. holosericea was most productive at earlier harvests. OnlyA. senegal (6.4 t ha−1) andA. indica (5.1 t ha−1) had a significant wood production, whereasA. holosericea (5.7 t ha−1) had the highest phyllodes production. Leaves ofA. senegal andA. indica had highest CP contents of 258 and 214 g kg−1, respectively. The leaves of all species exceptA. gayanus had a higher CP:ME ratio than natural pasture in the region. The calorific values of firewood did not differ significantly among the species.A. nilotica, the species with one of the lowest firewood production, had the highest Fuelwood Value Index of 6.6. The choice of species for planting trees and windbreaks in the SSZ must be oriented along these criteria. Further research should be directed towards cost-benefit analyses, land tenure and property rights in combination with surveys on local knowledge of rural people.