Tropentag, September 16 - 18, 2026, Göttingen "Towards multi-functional agro-ecosystems promoting climate-resilient futures"

Contribution of pruning gliricidia sepium, guiera senegalensis and piliostigma reticulatum to the productivity of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) in the sudano-sahelian zone of mali

¹Institut Polytechnique Rural de Formation et de Recherche Appliquée, Science and Agriculture Technique, Mali
²Institut Polytechnique Rural de Formation et de Recherche Applquée (IPR/IFRA), Science and Agricculture Technique
³Institut Polytechnique Rural de Formation et de Recherche Applquée (IPR/IFRA), Science and Agricculture Technique

Abstract

Sorghum is an important multi-purpose crop for rural communities in Mali, as its grains are used for human consumption and its fodder is used to feed livestock. Improving sorghum yields depends on improving soil fertility; therefore, the addition of organic matter appears essential for increasing sorghum production. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of woody prunings applied as surface compost on the agronomic performance of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). The factor under studies was fertilisation, with 13 levels of variation, in a randomise bloc design with four replicates. The results showed that treatment T11 (Gliricidia sepium biomass at a rate of 2.5 t/ha plus half of the standard rate of mineral fertiliser) led to a significant increase in plant height. With regard to the number of leaves and collar diameter, treatment T12 (the combined application of Gliricidia sepium, Piliostigma reticulatum and Guiera senegalensis biomass at a rate of 2.5 t/ha plus half of the standard rate of mineral fertiliser) resulted in a significant improvement in these parameters compared to the other treatments. Straw yield was significantly influenced by the application of prunings. Thus, treatments T11 and T12, which were statistically equivalent to one another, resulted in a significant increase in straw yield, with an average of 2,091.66 kg/ha. For grain yield, treatments T11, T12 and T9 (Piliostigma reticulatum at a rate of 2.5 t/ha plus half of the standard rate of mineral fertiliser) produced the highest grain yield, with an average of 699.93 kg/ha. The application of prunings combined with half of the standard rate of mineral fertiliser may be an alternative for improving sorghum yield and soil fertility in Mali.

Keywords: Fertilisation, Mali, prunings, sorghum

Contact Address: Aliou Badara Kouyaté, Institut Polytechnique Rural de Formation et de Recherche Appliquée, Science and Agriculture Technique, Katibougou, 223 Koulikoro, Mali, e-mail: aloubadarakouyateyahoo.fr