Abstract:
With the ongoing global warming, the occurrence and amplitude of extreme weather events have
increased over the West African Sahel. The increasing frequency of heavy rain events, can negatively
affect the lowland crops’ growth and production. Two-season field experiments were conducted near
Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)to test the effects of temporary flooding and surface water stagnation on
maize (Zea mays L.) growth and productivity. The treatments were organized into a split-split plot
design. Three factors were monitored, including aboveground flooding levels(i.e., 0 cm, 2–3 cm, and
7–8 cm), flooding duration (i.e., three days and six days), and growth stages(i.e., six-leaf stage (V6),
tasseling stage (VT) and milky stage (R3)). Optimal crop management was practiced to Obatanpa
cultivar planted during the rainy season and flooding was induced by over-irrigation. The results show
that three days and six days of flooding, reduced grain yield by at least 35% when they occurred at the
tasseling stage. Only 4–6 days of flooding reduced grain yield by 21% at the six-leaf stage. Further
scrutiny, using the stress day index (SDI), revealed that the penalty on yield increases exponentially
under flooding conditions as the value of the stress day index increases. Considering the new
characteristics of the rainfall regime in the West African Sahel, dominated by a high frequency of heavy
rain events and wet spells, temporary floods, and water stagnation are tremendously contributing to
yield loss of on-farm maize. As the region’s climate changes, we hypothesize that excess water stress
will become the next cause of food insecurity in the area.
