Groundnut occupies a vital position in oilseed crop production in Burkina Faso, with current production at 630,526 tonnes. However, its production faces threats from drought and low soil fertility. This study aims to determine the influence of zaï, stone rows, ridge tillage, and mineral fertilisation on soil health and on groundnut yields performances in Sudan Sahelian zone of Burkina Faso. Experimental treatments were distributed randomly following a Fisher block design, comprising four treatments and five replications, in the village of Sandogo. Data on soil properties, plant growth, and yields were analysed using variance analysis in R software.
The results indicate significant influences of the treatments on carbon content, nitrogen content, phosphorus content, pH values, soil moisture content, soil carbon dioxide release, and soil macrofauna. Moreover, notable effects were observed on the number of nodules, drier nodule weight, number of leaves and branches, pod load, pod and straw yields, and the weight of 100-pods. The highest carbon content (0.857; 0.861%), nitrogen content (0.081%; 0.087%), phosphorus content (7.488; 7.735 mg.kg-1), pH values (6.43; 6.54), and soil moisture content (24.80; 25.27%) were recorded in the homogeneous group of zaï and zaï associated to stone rows. The highest carbon dioxide release (2863.33 ppm) was recorded in plots treated with stone rows. Ants were the most widely encountered macrofauna, whereas no earthworms were recorded. The highest performance in terms of the number of nodules (84.76; 87.88), dry nodule weight (0.0893; 0.0886 g/plant), number of leaves (40; 40), number of branches (6; 6), pod load (25; 25), weight of 100-pods (112.90; 111.98 g), straw yields (1673.28; 1664.87 kg.ha-1), and pod yields (2122.32; 2161.96 kg.ha-1) were achieved with zaï and zaï combined with stone rows.
Zaï and zaï combined with stone rows can therefore be used as effective alternatives to improve groundnut production in the Sudan Sahelian zone of Burkina Faso in a context of climate change, while protecting the environment.
Author(s) Details:
Harouna Ouédraogo
Université Joseph KI-ZERBO, Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences de la Vie et de la Terre, 03 BP 7021 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Edmond Hien
Université Joseph KI-ZERBO, Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences de la Vie et de la Terre, 03 BP 7021 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Yacouba Diallo
Rural Polytechnic Institute for Training and Applied Research IPR/IFRA of Katibougou, P.O Box 06 Koulikoro, Mali.
Poulouma Louis Yaméogo
Bureau National des Sols (BUNASOLS), 03 BP 7142 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
Udo Nehren
Institute for Technology and Resources Management in the Tropics and Subtropics at TH Köln -University of Applied Sciences Cologne, Germany.
Recent Global Research Developments in Soil Properties and Groundnut Yield
Bambara Groundnut Research Directions:
Researchers have been studying Bambara groundnut (BGN), an “orphan” legume crop, focusing on its entire value chain from farm to consumers. BGN has potential for industrial processing, functional foods, and nutraceuticals. Further research is needed to optimize its benefits and valorization1.
BGN, rich in minerals, vitamins, proteins, and amino acids, could contribute to human diets and health. Mobile applications and climate-smart agricultural practices are essential for its adoption [1] .
Multi-year Crop Rotation and Quicklime Application:
A study investigated peanut nutrient uptake, yield status, soil properties, and microbial communities under different cultivation practices, including crop rotation and quicklime application as a soil amendment [2] .
Advances in Crop Improvement for Groundnut:
To increase groundnut consumption in areas with micronutrient deficiencies, crop improvement must address productivity and nutritional quality challenges [3] .
Climate-Smart Groundnuts:
Climate change poses a threat to groundnut yield and quality, especially in semi-arid tropical regions [4] .
Bambara Groundnut Production:
The best soil for Bambara groundnut production is well-drained sandy-loam soil with a pH of 5.0–6.5. Proper sowing depth is essential for successful growth [5] .
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- Yang L, Wang C, He X, Liang H, Wu Q, Sun X, Liu M and Shen P (2024) Multi-year crop rotation and quicklime application promote stable peanut yield and high nutrient-use efficiency by regulating soil nutrient availability and bacterial/fungal community. Front. Microbiol. 15:1367184. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1367184
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- Gangurde, S.S. et al. (2019). Climate-Smart Groundnuts for Achieving High Productivity and Improved Quality: Current Status, Challenges, and Opportunities. In: Kole, C. (eds) Genomic Designing of Climate-Smart Oilseed Crops. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93536-2_3
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