Intercropping Effect on Sorghum Yield under Sahel Zone Climate Condition of Mali: Case Study of Cinzana

Abstract

Cereal-leguminous cropping systems are part of logic of sustainable intensification. However, in the Sahelian zones of Mali, the yields of these associations are generally low due to the inadequate practice of this system. To minimize the negative effects of climate variability, it is important to assess the effects of the association on soil characteristics and on sorghum yield. In this purpose, a precipitation data from 59 years were analyzed and two experiments were carried out in the 2017 and 2018 season on two sowing dates. Analysis of the precipitation data indicates that the average rainfall in the study area is 700.30 mm and the rainy season is June to October. The results of the experiment show that a slight variation in the diameter of the stem, the height of the plant and these are only significantly affected by the genotype. The highest grain yield (2193 and 1842 kg / ha) and biomass yield (4570 and 4637) were recorded with a row of Jacumbe sorghum alternated with 1 row of Korobalen cowpea (2Jac1Kor) in the two sowing dates. Stem diameter, plant height, LAI, number of leaves, grain and biomass yield were not affected by the cropping system during the 2018 rainy season. The best cereal yield was obtained with 1Kor2Tiand in the second sowing (1377 kg / ha) and the best biomass yield (2378 kg / ha) with 2Kor1Jac in the first sowing. LER values greater than 1.0 were obtained for all cross-crop treatments. The result confirms that a higher total yield can be obtained from sorghum-legume intercropping than sole sorghum cropping. This technology therefore makes it possible to produce more on less sown area. The study allowed us to understand that the season (year) strongly affected the yield of sorghum grains and biomass. This can be explained by the reduction in the amount of precipitation (725.1mm) during the rainy season 2018 compared to 2017 (882.7mm).