Abstract
Farmers in Niger generally do not plow their fields and are therefore unable to incorporate phosphate. Experiments were conducted in Niger to assess the effect of soil tillage, P source, and fertilizer placement on yields of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br.). Treatments included single superphosphate (SSP) or ground Tahoua phosphate rock (PRT) incorporated into the soil during tillage or SSP surface applied after tillage. In plots which were not tilled, P sources (SSP, PRT, and PAPR-partially acidulated rock) were broadcast on the soil surface with no incorporation. In order to improve P efficiency under zero tillage, P was point placed in the soil near the plant with either broadcast or point-placed urea. Treatments in which tillage was used showed a slight though nonsignificant yield increase over untilled plots. The yield increase did not appear to be due to phosphate incorporation but rather to direct tillage effects on early plant growth. In a comparison of SSP with PRT or PAPR broadcast on soils not receiving tillage, PRT performed poorly relative to the other P sources. SSP outyielded PAPR and PRT in 1986, but in subsequent years, no significant difference was found between PAPR and SSP. Point placement of P or N near the plant did not significantly increase yields over broadcast treatments even though the millet was planted with wide 1×1 m spacing.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bationo A, Christianson C B and Baethgen W E 1989 Effect of planting density and N fertilizer rates on millet yield in the sandy soils of Niger. Agron. J. In press.
Christianson C B, Bationo A, Henao J and Vlek P L G 1990 Fate and efficiency of N fertilizer applied to millet in Niger. Plant and Soil In press.
Hammond L L, Chien S H, Roy A H and Mokwunye A U 1989 Solubility and agronomic effectiveness of partially acidulated phosphate rocks as influenced by their iron and aluminum content. Fert. Res. 19, 93–98.
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) 1986 ICRISAT Annual Report, 1985.
International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) 1988 IFDC Annual Report, 1987, Muscle Shoals, AL 35662, USA
International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) 1987 IFDC Annual Report, 1986, Muscle Shoals, AL 35662, USA.
McIntire T 1986 Constraints to fertilizer use in sub-Saharan Africa. In Management of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilizers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Eds. A U Mokwunye and P L G Vlek. pp 33–58. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
Mokwunye A, Chien S H and Rhodes E R 1986 Reactions of phosphate with tropical Africa soils. In Management of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilizers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Eds. A UMokwunye and P L G Vlek. pp 253–282. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
Sivakumar MVK 1986 Climate of Niamey-Agroclimatology Progress Report 1, ICRISAT Sahelian Center, Niamey, Niger.
Traoré M F 1974 Etude de la fumure mineral azotic intensive des céréales et due rôle spécific de la matiere organique dans la fertilité des sols au Mali. Agron. Trop. 29, 567–586.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Christianson, C.B., Bationo, A. & Baethgen, W.E. The effect of soil tillage and fertilizer use on pearl millet yields in Niger. Plant Soil 123, 51–58 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00009925
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00009925