Soil management for crop production in the West African Sahel. II. Emergence, establishment, and yield of pearl millet

Klaij, M C and Hoogmoed, W B (1993) Soil management for crop production in the West African Sahel. II. Emergence, establishment, and yield of pearl millet. Soil & Tillage Research, 25 (4). pp. 301-315. ISSN 0167-1987

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Abstract

In field experiments on a sandy Psammentic Paleustalf in Niger, the effects on crop establishment and yield of pearl millet seed size (<1.95 mm, 1.95-2.12 mm or >2.12 mm), sowing depth (1, 3, 5 or 7 cm) and sowing method (sowing in hills or drilling seeds) with cv. CIVT and 3/4 HK (both improved) and Sadoré (local) given pre-sowing tillage (ploughing, ridging, 'sand fighting' or no-tillage) and application of 17 kg P + 40 kg N/ha upon seedling emergence, were observed. Sowing depth of 3-5 cm resulted in the highest percentage emergence, the highest shoot DW and most secondary roots. These growth parameters were greater in the >2.12 mm seed size category than in the other 2 smaller sizes. The adverse effects of wind erosion were least when sowing in hills; establishment, crop stand survival, and yield were better under hill planting than drilling seed. Pre-sowing tillage increased initial stands and their survival, the latter also depending on fertility. Thus, improving crop yields resulted from better stand survival and higher yields per hill. Application of P and N tripled grain yields. Ridging without prior tillage and ploughing increased grain and stover yields 2- to 3-fold. In combination with fertilizer application, 6-fold yield increases were obtained. It was concluded that if pre-sowing tillage is considered, then, in view of the time limitations, ridging without prior tillage would be preferable to ploughing, as it is a much faster operation giving equally good results in terms of crop establishment and yield

Item Type:	Article
Divisions:	UNSPECIFIED
CRP:	UNSPECIFIED
Subjects:	Mandate crops > Millets
Depositing User:	Ms K Syamalamba
Date Deposited:	09 Nov 2011 08:38
Last Modified:	14 Sep 2013 12:14
URI:	http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/3849
Official URL:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0167-1987(93)90029-O
Projects:	UNSPECIFIED
Funders:	UNSPECIFIED
Acknowledgement:	UNSPECIFIED
Links:	Author

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