ISSN 2375-1185
African Journal of Agronomy ISSN: 2375-1185 Vol. 12 (11), pp. 001-009, November, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Cowpea Varietal Performance in the Optimized Shrub (P. reticulatum) Intercropping System in Senegal
Mouhamadou Moussa Diangar1, Nafissatou Diallo1,2, Ngane Niang1,3, Dioumacor Fall1, Ibrahima Diedhiou2, Binta Samba1, Amanda Davey4, Richard P Dick5*
1Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles, Hann Bel Air, route des hydrocarbures BP : 3120 Dakar, Sénégal
2Ecole nationale supérieure d’Agriculture, Route de Khombole, B.P : A 296 Thiès- Sénégal
3Université Assane Seck de Ziguinchor, Diabir- Ziguinchor, BP : 523 Ziguinchor, Sénégal
4Global Water Institute, Ohio State University, Columbus OH, USA
5School of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University, Columbus OH, USA.
Received July 12, 2024; Revised September 24, 2024; Accepted September 26, 2024 and Published 12 November, 2024
Abstract
The Sahel is a vulnerable semi-arid ecosystem for crop production due to climate change, recurring drought, desertification, and sandy soils with naturally low quality. Growing populations have increased cropping intensity and a loss of fallowing that has resulted in degraded soils. Agroecological management systems are needed that use local resources. A solution is the Optimized Shrub-intercropping System (OSS) that utilizes Piliostigma reticulatum at elevated densities (1200-1500 ha-1) and produces significant amounts of annually coppiced biomass that is returned to soils. Research has shown OSS remediates soils, promotes crop drought resistance, and dramatically increases yields. However, there is no information on whether there are differential crop varietal responses to OSS, including low-input cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walpers) which is an important protein food source. Therefore, the objective was to determine the effect of OSS on the growth and yield of diverse cowpea cultivars. The study was done at the Keur Ndary Ndiaye long-term experiment in Senegal that had a randomized complete block 2 X 4 factorial design (3 replications) with these treatments: 2 management systems (+OSS and -OSS) and 4 cowpea cultivars (B21, Mouride, Sam and Yacine). The study was done over 2 growing seasons that included plant growth measurements. Averaging across cowpea varieties showed that +OSS significantly increased seed yields from 658 to 1433 kg ha-1 in 2021 and from 107 to 868 kg ha-1 in 2022. In the presence of shrubs, the best varietal yielding performance in 2021 was Yacine (2007 kg ha-1) and Mouride (1634 kg ha-1); and in 2022 Sam (1113 kg ha-1) and Yacine (975 kg ha-1). Yacine had high yields both years and could be due it being a short duration variety. OSS with P. reticulatum increases crop yields and is a sustainable practice that utilizes a local resource that is very appropriate for subsistence farmers of Senegal.
Keywords: Shrub intercropping, Piliostigma reticulatum, cowpea, soil fertility.