OAR@ICRISATExploiting rainy season potential from the onset of rains in the Sahelian zone of West AfricaM V KSivakumarauthorField studies were conducted at the ICRISAT Sahelian Center, Niamey, Niger, during 1986 and 1987 to test the methodology described earlier by Sivakumar (1988) that the potential of the rainy season in the Sahelian zone of West Africa can be determined from the date of onset of rains. We tested an early onset of rains treatment (imposed with supplemental irrigations) with the natural onset of rains. In 1986, natural onset was early while in 1987 it was considerably late. In both the seasons, dry matter production of millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) in the early onset of rains treatment reached 7 t ha−1 while late onset of rains resulted in only 3 t ha−1. Data on soil water profiles showed that at the time of the millet harvest in the early rains treatment, profile soil water is adequate to establish a second crop of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) for hay. This enables efficient exploitation of soil moisture. In addition, the combined water use of the two crops in the early rains treatment was much higher. Results of this study suggest that by tailoring management tactics to weather conditions, in years with early onset of rains it is possible to establish a second crop of cowpea for hay in the Sahelian zone where the farmers traditionally grow only millet. The implications of the suggested methodology for other climatic zones in West Africa and its limitations are discussedClimate Change1990ElsevierArticle

For work being deposited by its own author: In self-archiving this collection of files and associated bibliographic metadata, I grant OAR@ICRISAT the right to store them and to make them permanently available publicly for free on-line. I declare that this material is my own intellectual property and I understand that OAR@ICRISAT does not assume any responsibility if there is any breach of copyright in distributing these files or metadata. (All authors are urged to prominently assert their copyright on the title page of their work.)

For work being deposited by someone other than its author: I hereby declare that the collection of files and associated bibliographic metadata that I am archiving at OAR@ICRISAT) is in the public domain. If this is not the case, I accept full responsibility for any breach of copyright that distributing these files or metadata may entail.

Clicking on the deposit button indicates your agreement to these terms.