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Influence des conditions climatiques, topographiques et d’intensification sur la fertilité physique et chimique des sols ferrugineux en région sahélo-soudanienne Volume 8, issue 4, Décembre 1997

Authors
Détaché au CIRAD-SAR, 73, rue J.-F.-Breton, 34090 Montpellier, France, Faculté universitaire des sciences agronomiques, 5030 Gembloux, Belgique, École nationale supérieure d’agriculture, BP 296, route de Khombole, Thiès, Sénégal.
  • Page(s) : 247-56
  • Published in: 1998

The low soil fertility in the Sahelian-Sudanese region is a major constraint to development because it strongly limits crop yields. Looking towards the evaluation of ways to improve physical and chemical soil properties, a series of experiments were carried out to compare the traditional farming system of the Senegalese groundnut basin with two modernized systems, based on a narrow synergy between farming and livestock, a system intensified by draft cultivation (oxen) and a system using heavy motorization. In a pedo-climatic context representative of the region, the experiments, implemented on a real farm scale, were conducted during five crop years. At the beginning, the middle and the end of the laboratory analysis testing showed that the climatic consequences strongly condition the organic matter dynamics. The topography also plays an important role, with low land levels making a major contribution. Furthermore, organo-mineral fertilizes, liming and tillage have beneficial effects on physical and chemical soil fertility. Improvements allow elimination of acidification problems, destructuring and mineral and organic impoverishment which characterize traditional cropping practices. The results prove the importance of root establishment run-off control, and the livixation to improve soil fertility. In that respect, the perennial forage crop Andropogon gayanus makes a major contribution.