Authors:
PALE Siebou*, MASON Stephen C.
, TAONDA Sibiri Jean-Baptiste
, SERME Idriss
and SOHORO Adama ,USA
|
Abstract:
Grain sorghum intercropped with cowpea or sole cropped are common cropping systems in the
Sudano-sahelian agroecological zone of Burkina Faso. A two-year experiment was conducted on
the influence of tillage and cropping system with soil amendment (CS/SA) on sorghum grain and
stover nutrient concentrations. Tillage had no influence on grain nutrient concentrations. Year
and cropping with soil amendment slightly influenced the grain P, K, and Mg concentrations.
Stover Mg and S concentrations were influenced by year, tillage, and CS/SA, while other
nutrient concentrations were not. Nitrogen (N), P, K, Mg, and Zn concentrations (R = 0.22 to
0.44) were positively associated with grain yield, but only K (R = 0.41) and N (-0.22) were
associated with stover yield. Nutrient concentration of sorghum grain met human nutritional
requirements for N (2.15%), P (0.34%), Mg (0.28%), Zn (34 ppm) and Fe (69 ppm) but deficient
for K (0.45%), Mn (23 ppm), and Cu (6 ppm). Sorghum stover nutrient concentrations exceeded
requirements for cattle feed except for N (1.6%), P (0.23%), and Cu (7 ppm). Genetic and
management research to increase sorghum grain K, Mn, Cu concentrations, and stover N, P, and
Cu concentration to meet human and cattle nutritional needs is merited |
