Chemical Fertility of a Ferralitic Soil in a Cropping System Based on Cereals (Fonio and Sorghum) and Legumes (Soya and Mung Bean) on An Experimental Station in Burkina Faso

Gomgnimbou Alain P. K.^1*, Sanon Abdramane², Sanou Wilfried^1,3, Fofana Sékou¹and Nacro Bismarck Hassan³

¹Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (CNRST)/Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherche Agricole (INERA)/ Laboratoire Sol-Eau-Plante, Burkina Faso.

²Centre Universitaire de Tenkodogo, Université Thomas SANKARA, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

³Université Nazi Boni, Institut du Développement Rural (IDR), Laboratoire d’étude et de recherche sur la fertilité du sol et les Systèmes de Production, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

Corresponding Author E-mail:gpkalain@yahoo.fr

Abstract:

In Burkina Faso, the low nutrient content of the country's soils has a direct impact on crop yields. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of applying organic matter (compost, poultry manure.), and mineral fertilizer Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium (N:14% P:23% K:14%), urea (43% nitrogen) and Burkina Phosphate (BP) on soil fertility in a legume/cereal cropping system. The study was conducted at the INERA Farako-Bâ experimental station from 2018 to 2021. The experimental design was a 4x4 factorial, corresponding to four rotations and four manures, respectively, used as the first and second factors. A split-plot design with three replications was employed. The results obtained indicated that, in comparison to the initial soil, there was an increase of 33% in soil organic carbon and 36% in total nitrogen in the plots where soya and fonio were cultivated in rotation. In comparison to the plots with fonio-sorghum rotation, the plots with mung bean-sorghum and soya-fonio rotations demonstrated increase in assimilable phosphorus of 17% and 15%, respectively. Furthermore, the fertilizer combining compost and poultry manure resulted in a 300% increase in assimilable phosphorus and 28% increase in available potassium compared to the soil without fertilizer inputs and uncultivated for years. Additionally, the fertilizers of compost combined with poultry manure and compost combined with poultry manure and BP resulted in increases in assimilable phosphorus of 131.78% and 116%, respectively. The positive effects obtained on the chemical parameters (phosphorus, potassium and carbon) provide the potential for sustainable soil fertilization in cropping systems, while also valorizing local organic fertilizer.

Keywords:

Burkina Faso; Crop rotations; Fertilizers; Fertility, Soil

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