Burkina Rock Phosphate Fertilization Increases Nodulation and Yield of Cowpea under Zaï Cultivation in Sahelian Agro-ecosystem of Burkina Faso
Koulibi Fidèle Zongo *
University Center of Tenkodogo, Thomas SANKARA University, 12 BP 417, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and IRD, LMI-IESOL, Laboratory of Eco and Sols is a Joint Research Unit (UMR Eco & Sols) from INRA, IRD, SupAgro and CIRAD, Montpellier, France.
Mohamed Traoré
Faculty of Science and Technology of Bamako, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Mali.
Daouda Guébré
IRD, LMI-IESOL, Laboratory of Eco and Sols is a Joint Research Unit (UMR Eco & Sols) from INRA, IRD, SupAgro and CIRAD, Montpellier, France and University Center of Ziniaré, Joseph KI-ZERBO University, 03 BP 702, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Edmond Hien
IRD, LMI-IESOL, Laboratory of Eco and Sols is a Joint Research Unit (UMR Eco & Sols) from INRA, IRD, SupAgro and CIRAD, Montpellier, France and Joseph KI-ZERBO University, Life and Earth Sciences Formation and Research Unit, 03 BP 7021 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso.
Didier Blavet
University of Montpellier, Laboratory of Eco & Sols is a Joint Research Unit (UMR Eco & Sols) from INRA, IRD, SupAgro and CIRAD, Montpellier, France.
Inamoud Ibny Yattara
Faculty of Science and Technology of Bamako, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Mali.
Jean-Jacques Drevon
Experimental Domine of Val d'Ainan (DEVA), 46 rue Emile Combes, 34170 Castelnau le Lez, France.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Cowpea occupies a considerable place in the nutritional and economic balance of the rural population of Burkina Faso. However, its cultivation is marked by yield instability linked to soil depletion of nutrients, especially N and P, and irregular rains. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of phosphorus fertilization with the rock phosphate named BurkinaP, on the spatial and temporal variability of cowpea nodulation and yield. A multilocation test was conducted in 12 and 16 farmers’fields in 2013 and 2014, respectively, in 3 villages of 3 provinces of the northern region of Burkina Faso. Two treatments were compared: zaï without (ZS) and zaï with BurkinaP (ZP). Overall, dry weights of nodules and shoots at flowering stage, and grain at harvest, were significantly increased by BurkinaP. It is concluded that in soils where low availability of P limits crop yields of cowpea especially in arid sud-saharan areas of West Africa, the input of BurkinaP can improve cowpea N2-fixation, and increase and stabilize cowpea yields.
Keywords: Cowpea, increased grain yield, nodules dry weight, Burkina rock phosphate fertilization