SUMMARYCompetition from weeds is one of the major biophysical constraints to rice (Oryza spp.) production in sub-Saharan Africa. Smallholder rice farmers require efficient, affordable and labour-saving weed management technologies. Mechanical weeders have shown to fit this profile. Several mechanical weeder types exist but little is known about locally specific differences in performance and farmer preference between these types. Three to six different weeder types were evaluated at 10 different sites across seven countries – i.e., Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda and Togo. A total of 310 farmers (173 male, 137 female) tested the weeders, scored them for their preference, and compared them with their own weed management practices. In a follow-up study, 186 farmers from Benin and Nigeria received the ring hoe, which was the most preferred in these two countries, to use it during the entire crop growing season. Farmers were surveyed on their experiences. The probability of the ring hoe having the highest score among the tested weeders was 71%. The probability of farmers’ preference of the ring hoe over their usual practices – i.e., herbicide, traditional hoe and hand weeding – was 52, 95 and 91%, respectively. The preference of this weeder was not related to gender, years of experience with rice cultivation, rice field size, weed infestation level, water status or soil texture. In the follow-up study, 80% of farmers who used the ring hoe indicated that weeding time was reduced by at least 31%. Of the farmers testing the ring hoe in the follow-up study, 35% used it also for other crops such as vegetables, maize, sorghum, cassava and millet. These results suggest that the ring hoe offers a gender-neutral solution for reducing labour for weeding in rice as well as other crops and that it is compatible with a wide range of environments. The implications of our findings and challenges for out-scaling of mechanical weeders are discussed.
A field experiment was carried out in the 2005 and 2006 wet seasons in Bagré, Burkina Faso, to assess the differences in paddy yield and nitrogen (N) utilization of the New Rice for Africa (NERICA) lowland varieties. The test consists of a split-plot design with four replications. The main plots were represented by four NERICAs (NERICA L 41, NERICA L 60, NERICA L 20, and NERICA L 19) and one control (4418). Subplots were constituted with five rates of nitrogen fertilizer (0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 kg N ha-1). Significant differences (P<0.001) among varieties were observed in paddy yield and nitrogen uptake. Without nitrogen application (0N), NERICAs insure a good grain yield compared to the control (4418). The N-use efficient varieties that produced high paddy yield at both low and high levels of N were NERICA L 41, NERICA L 20 and NERICA L 19. NERICA L 60 that is not significantly different to the control (4418) appears less efficient as compared to the three other NERICAs.
La gestion durable des terres reste une problématique majeure dans le contexte agricole du Burkina Faso. Cette étude a été conduite afin d’évaluer les effets de la combinaison de différentes techniques de gestion de la fertilité du sol sur le développement de 2 légumineuses, à l’Ouest du Burkina Faso. Pour ce faire, un dispositif à trois facteurs (Travail du sol, système de culture et fertilisation) et 4 répétitions a été mis en place. Le facteur travail du sol était composé des traitements T1 (Labour + RdC exportés), T2 (Labour + Enfouissement des RdC de la parcelle) et T3 (Semis direct + paillage avec RdC de la parcelle). Le facteur système de culture était constitué des traitements Ma (Maïs en culture pure), Ni (Niébé en culture pure), Am (Ambérique en culture pure), MN (Maïs en association avec le niébé) et MA (Maïs en association avec l’Ambérique). Le facteur fertilisation était composé de FM (Fumure minérale à la dose vulgarisée), fom (Fumure organo-minérale avec 2 t/ha de FO et la dose vulgarisée de FM) et FOM (Fumure organo-minérale avec 5 t/ha de FO chaque 2 ans et la dose vulgarisée de FM). Une rotation de cultures entre les légumineuses et le maïs a été effectuée sur les parcelles de culture pure de légumineuse. Le taux de couverture du sol par les légumineuses, le nombre de nodules et la biomasse racinaire des légumineuses ont été évalués au 30ème, 45ème et 60ème jours après semis (JAS) en 2018 et 2020. Les résultats montrent une augmentation significative du nombre de nodules avec T2 (25,74 nodules/pied) par rapport aux autres modes de travail du sol. Concernant le système de culture et la fertilisation, c’est le niébé en culture pure et le traitement FOM qui ont enregistré les valeurs élevées de taux de couverture du sol, de nombre de nodules et de biomasse racinaire, comparativement aux autres traitements. Les résultats montrent également que c’est l’interaction système de culture et fertilisation qui est significative pour le taux de couverture du sol, le nombre de nodules et la biomasse racinaire. On peut retenir de l’étude que le niébé se présente comme la légumineuse ayant les meilleures performances en culture pure et sous fertilisation organo-minérale avec 5 t/ha de FO chaque 2 ans et la dose vulgarisée de FM. English title: Effects of different soil fertility management methods on the performance ofcowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and amber (Vigna radiata) in western Burkina Faso Sustainable land management remains a major issue in the agricultural context of Burkina Faso. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of combining different soil fertility management techniques on the development of two legumes in western Burkina Faso. To do so, a three-factor design (soil tillage, cropping system and fertilization) and 4 replications were set up. The soil tillage factor was composed of treatments T1 (Ploughing + exported CR), T2 (Ploughing + burial of plot CR) and T3 (Direct seeding + mulching with plot CR). The cropping system factor was composed of treatments Ma (Maize in pure culture), Ni (Cowpea in pure culture), Am (Amber in pure culture), MN (Maize in association with cowpea) and MA (Maize in association with Amber). The fertilization factor was composed of FM (mineral fertilizer at the popularized rate), fom (organo-mineral fertilizer with 2 t/ha of FO and the popularized rate of FM) and FOM (organo-mineral fertilizer with 5 t/ha of FO every 2 years and the popularized rate of FM). A crop rotation between legumes and maize was conducted on the pure legume plots. Legume soil cover rate, nodule number, and root biomass of legumes were assessed at 30, 45, and 60 days after sowing (DAS) in 2018 and 2020. The results show a significant increase in nodule number with T2 (25.74 nodules/foot) compared to the other tillage modes. Regarding the cropping system and fertilization, the cowpea in pure cultivation and the FOM treatment recorded the highest values of soil cover rate, number of nodules and root biomass compared to the other treatments. The results also show that it is the cropping system and fertilization interaction that is significant for soil cover rate, number of nodules and root biomass. The study shows that cowpea is the legume with the best performance in pure culture and under organo-mineral fertilization with 5 t/ha of FO every two years and the popularized dose of FM.
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