https://journaljeai.com/index.php/JEAI <p><strong>Journal of Experimental Agriculture International (ISSN: 2457-0591)</strong> is a multidisciplinary journal in the field of agriculture and biology. The journal publishes original scientific papers, short communications, review articles and case studies. By not excluding papers based on novelty, this journal facilitates the research and wishes to publish papers as long as they are technically correct and scientifically motivated. The journal also encourages the submission of useful reports of negative results. This is a quality controlled, OPEN peer-reviewed, open-access INTERNATIONAL journal.</p> <p><strong>NAAS Score: 5.14 (2026)</strong></p> SCIENCEDOMAIN international en-US Journal of Experimental Agriculture International 2457-0591 https://journaljeai.com/index.php/JEAI/article/view/4310 <p>Fonio (<em>Digitaria exilis</em> Stapf) is an important minor cereal in West Africa, but its production remains constrained by low yields and the limited availability of improved varieties. This study evaluated the adaptation and agronomic performance of six fonio genotypes across three agroecological zones of Burkina Faso. Field trials were conducted during the 2020 cropping season at Farako-Bâ, Banfora and Kamboinsin. The plant material consisted of five genotypes from the INERA collection and one registered check variety, CVF109. The experiment was arranged in a randomised block design with three replications at each site. Six quantitative traits were recorded: days to flowering, plant height, panicle length, number of tillers per plant, thousand-grain weight and grain yield. Analysis of variance, broad-sense heritability estimation, yield stability assessment and AMMI analysis were used to evaluate genotype performance and adaptation. Significant differences were observed among genotypes for most agronomic traits. Broad-sense heritability was high for most traits, with values above 60%, except for number of tillers, which showed lower values at some sites. The genotypes flowered early, with days to flowering ranging from 57 to 70 days across sites. Grain yield varied by genotype and location. Genotype CVF234 recorded the highest yields, with 722 kg/ha at Farako-Bâ, 730 kg/ha at Banfora and 735 kg/ha at Kamboinsin. Stability analysis indicated that CVF416 was the most stable genotype, followed by CVF234. AMMI analysis suggested differential adaptation of genotypes to the study sites. The results indicate useful genetic variability among the tested fonio genotypes and support further evaluation of promising materials for possible inclusion in the national variety registration process.</p> Soumana Kone Mandinatou Niaone Abdourasmane Kadougoudiou Konate Issouf Tingueri Arnaud Manegdwendin Noufou Ouedraogo Issa Wonni Copyright (c) 2026 Author(s). The licensee is the journal publisher. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 2026-06-25 2026-06-25 48 7 17 29 10.9734/jeai/2026/v48i74310 https://journaljeai.com/index.php/JEAI/article/view/4309 <p>Soil degradation, nutrient depletion and climate change continue to challenge agricultural sustainability and food security. Biochar, a stable, carbon-rich material produced through the thermochemical conversion of biomass under oxygen-limited conditions, has received increasing attention as a soil amendment within sustainable and climate-smart agriculture. This review synthesises published evidence on biochar production technologies, feedstock-dependent properties and the mechanisms through which biochar influences soil health, crop productivity and carbon sequestration. The review indicates that biochar can improve soil physical conditions by reducing bulk density, enhancing aggregation and increasing water-holding capacity, especially in coarse-textured and degraded soils. It also contributes to chemical fertility by improving nutrient retention, moderating soil acidity, influencing phosphorus availability and reducing nutrient losses. In biological terms, biochar provides microhabitats and nutrient-rich surfaces that can support microbial biomass, soil enzyme activity and mycorrhizal associations. These changes may enhance crop performance, particularly where productivity is constrained by acidity, low nutrient retention, drought stress, salinity or contaminant bioavailability. Biochar also contributes to climate change mitigation because its aromatic carbon structure can persist in soils over long periods and because its application may reduce nitrous oxide and methane emissions under suitable soil and management conditions. However, the magnitude and consistency of benefits depend strongly on feedstock type, pyrolysis conditions, soil properties, crop species and management practices. Adoption is further constrained by production costs, logistical requirements, feedstock variability, possible ecotoxicological risks and insufficient standardisation. Long-term field studies, quality-assurance systems and soil-specific biochar products are needed to support safe, effective and economically feasible use in sustainable agriculture.</p> D. Sravanthi K. Naganjali R. Ramesh K. Shireesha I. V. Srinivasa Reddy T. Sravan Kumar M. Ramprasad J. Hemantha Kumar Copyright (c) 2026 Author(s). The licensee is the journal publisher. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 2026-06-24 2026-06-24 48 7 1 16 10.9734/jeai/2026/v48i74309