SummaryThe after effects of three years' continuous cropping with sole millet, sole cowpea or a traditional millet/cowpea intercrop were compared using five levels of nitrogen fertilizer. The continuous sole cowpea system had reduced the carbon to nitrogen ratio more than the continuous sole millet or the traditional intercrop. The test crop millet yielded much more, and its uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus was greater, when it followed sole cowpea than when it followed sole millet or the traditional millet/cowpea intercrop. The three years' continuous sole cowpea had an effect equivalent to the application of 205 kg N ha−1 on the test crop of millet. It also caused the greatest reduction in Striga infestation in the test crop. It is therefore recommended that cowpea cultivation be increased in the Sahel.
The performance of two contrasting pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) genotypes was compared following five planting dates under rainfed conditions in deep sandy soils at Bengou, Niger in 1986 and 1987. The early and partially photo-sensitive cultivar HKB yielded more grain than the late and photo-sensitive cultivar Somno when planted with the first two seasonal rains. But after delayed planting, the crop growth rate and harvest index of cultivar HKB were reduced, leading to smaller grain yields even though the growth period, rainfall, radiation and temperature were similar at all the planting dates. In contrast, cultivar Somno maintained a small but stable harvest index over various planting dates, so that although its growth period and crop growth rate were reduced by delayed planting, the reduction in grain yield was less. Since agronomic manipulation, such as increased plant density and fertilizer application, can be used to increase crop growth rate, photo-sensitive millet genotypes such as cultivar Somno could be used for late July plantings in the Sudano-Sahelian zone.
Siembra tardia de mijo perlado
RESUMENSe compare el rendimiento de dos genotipos contrastantes de mijo perlado (Pennisetum glaucum) en base a cinco fechas de siembra bajo condiciones de riego por precipitaciones, en los suelos con arena profunda en Bengou, Niger, en 1986 y 1987. La variedad de cultivo HKB-temprana y parcialmente fotosensible-produjo una mayor cantidad de grano que la variedad de cultivo Somno-tardia y fotosensible -al plantarse durante las primeras dos lluvias de estacion. Pero con el retraso en la siembra se redujo el fndice de crecimiento del cultivo y el indice de cosecha de la variedad HKB, con el consecuente menor rendimiento de grano, aun cuando el pen'odo de crecimiento, cantidad de precipitaciones, radiation y temperatura fueron similares para todas las fechas de siembra. Por el contrario, la variedad Somno mantuvo un indice de cosecha bajo pero estable a lo largo de las distintas fechas de cultivo, por lo cual, si bien el pen'odo de crecimiento y el indice de crecimiento del cultivo se vieron reducidos con la siembra tardia, la disminucion del rendimiento de grano fue menor. Dado que la manipulation agn'cola -tal como una mayor densidad de plantas y la aplicacion de fertilizantes -puede utilizarse para incrementar el indice de crecimiento del cultivo, los genotipos de mijo fotosensibles tales como la variedad Somno pueden usarse para siembras tardias durante el mes de julio en la zona del Sudan/Sahel.
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