TY  - JOUR
AV  - public
A1  - Vadez, V
A1  - Halilou, O
A1  - Hissene, H M
A1  - Traore, P C S
A1  - Sinclair, T R
A1  - Soltani, A
TI  - Mapping Water Stress Incidence and Intensity, Optimal Plant Populations, and Cultivar Duration for African Groundnut Productivity Enhancement
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.00432
JF  - Frontiers in Plant Science
SN  - 1664-462X
PB  - Frontiers Media
N1  - This work was supported by a grant from the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation through the Generation Challenge Program
(Tropical Legume Project, phase I) and by additional support
from the CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes.
N2  - Groundnut production is limited in Sub-Saharan Africa and water deficit or ?drought,? is often considered as the main yield-limiting factor. However, no comprehensive study has assessed the extent and intensity of ?drought?-related yield decreases, nor has it explored avenues to enhance productivity. Hence, crop simulation modeling with SSM (Simple Simulation Modeling) was used to address these issues. To palliate the lack of reliable weather data as input to the model, the validity of weather data generated by Marksim, a weather generator, was tested. Marksim provided good weather representation across a large gradient of rainfall, representative of the region, and although rainfall generated by Marksim was above observations, run-off from Marksim data was also higher, and consequently simulations using observed or Marksim weather agreed closely across this gradient of weather conditions (root mean square of error = 99 g m-2; R2 = 0.81 for pod yield). More importantly, simulation of yield changes upon agronomic or genetic alterations in the model were equally predicted with Marksim weather. A 1° × 1° grid of weather data was generated. ?Drought?-related yield reduction were limited to latitudes above 12?13° North in West Central Africa (WCA) and to the Eastern fringes of Tanzania and Mozambique in East South Africa (ESA). Simulation and experimental trials also showed that doubling the sowing density of Spanish cultivars from 20 to 40 plants m-2 would increase yield dramatically in both WCA and ESA. However, increasing density would require growers to invest in more seeds and likely additional labor. If these trade-offs cannot be alleviated, genetic improvement would then need to re-focus on a plant type that is adapted to the current low sowing density, like a runner rather than a bush plant type, which currently receives most of the genetic attention. Genetic improvement targeting ?drought? adaptation should also be restricted to areas where water is indeed an issue, i.e., above 12?13°N latitude in WCA and the Eastern fringes of Tanzania and Mozambique.
KW  - Groundnut Productivity
KW  -  Agronomy
KW  -  Sowing density
KW  -  Risk assessment
KW  -  Crop modeling
KW  -  Livelihood
KW  -  Model Predictions
KW  -  Plant development
KW  -  Agronomic practices
KW  -  Crop yield
Y1  - 2017/03//
SP  - 1
ID  - icrisat10073
EP  - 13
VL  - 8
IS  - 432
ER  -