Seedball technology enhances pearl millet yield in a Sahelian subsistence production system

Abstract. Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.) is the major staple crop produced by subsistence farmers in the West African Sahel, but its panicle yield is low because of poor seedling establishment in low-nutrient soils. Seedball is a cheap seed-pelleting technique that combines sand, loam, seeds and optionally wood ash or mineral fertiliser as an additive to enhance early growth of pearl millet under infertile soil conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of seedball technology on pearl millet crop establishment and panicle yield on-farm under Sahelian subsistence conditions. Over 2000 on-farm (2015–18) trials were conducted in 65 villages of the Maradi region in Niger. Conventionally sown and seedball-derived pearl millet crops were grown by using ‘farmer-optimised' simple split-plot designs with three treatments: (i) farmers' practice as control; and seedballs (2.0 cm diameter, made from 80 g sand + 50 g loam + 25 mL water + 2.5 g seeds as standard recipe) that contained either (ii) 3 g wood ash or (iii) 1 g mineral fertiliser (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium; NPK) as effective nutrient compounds. In 2016–18, participating farmers could opt for one of the seedball treatments. Panicle as well as stover yield data were collected and compared with respect to seedball type (wood ash vs NPK), sowing depth (shallow vs deep), sowing time (wet vs dry), weed management (complete vs partial), local soil type (texture range sand to loamy sand), cropping system (sole vs mixed), and farmer. Results showed that seedballs do not suppress seedling emergence. Seedball treatments produced fewer but longer and denser panicles. Wood ash-amended seedballs showed a higher panicle yield increase relative to their site controls than NPK-amended seedballs. However, the average panicle yield of NPK-amended seedballs was higher than that of the wood ash-amended seedballs. The treatment factors wet sowing, partial weeding, sole cropping and farmers showed higher panicle yield. The seedball technology increases pearl millet panicle yield by ∼30% in the Sahel; it is simple and based on local materials.

[1]  L. Herrmann,et al.  Optimisation of the seedball technology for sorghum production under nutrient limitations , 2021 .

[2]  T. Javed,et al.  Modern Seed Technology: Seed Coating Delivery Systems for Enhancing Seed and Crop Performance , 2020, Agriculture.

[3]  C. Nwankwo.  Seedball technology development for subsistence-oriented pearl millet production systems in Sahelian West Africa , 2019 .

[4]  L. Gordon,et al.  The Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative as an opportunity to enhance resilience in Sahelian landscapes and livelihoods , 2019, Regional Environmental Change.

[5]  G. Neumann,et al.  Seedball-induced changes of root growth and physico-chemical properties-a case study with pearl millet , 2018, Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science.

[6]  G. Neumann,et al.  Physical and chemical optimisation of the seedball technology addressing pearl millet under Sahelian conditions , 2018 .

[7]  J. Bremner.  Population, Food Security, and Climate Change: Africa’s Challenges , 2017 .

[8]  W. Pan,et al.  Ammonia/Ammonium Toxicity Root Symptoms Induced by Inorganic and Organic Fertilizers and Placement , 2016 .

[9]  M. Visser,et al.  Risk preferences, technology adoption and insurance uptake: A framed experiment , 2015 .

[10]  P. Traoré,et al.  Coping with climate variability and change in research for development targeting West Africa: Need for paradigm changes , 2013 .

[11]  Philippe Ciais,et al.  Assessing climate change impacts on sorghum and millet yields in the Sudanian and Sahelian savannas of West Africa , 2013 .

[12]  S. Dondeyne,et al.  World Reference Base for Soil Resources , 2013 .

[13]  E. Obeng,et al.  Growth and Grain Yield of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) Genotypes at Different Levels of Nitrogen Fertilization in the Southeastern United States , 2012 .

[14]  P. Traoré,et al.  Breeding Strategies for Adaptation of Pearl Millet and Sorghum to Climate Variability and Change in West Africa. , 2012 .

[15]  C. J. Williams,et al.  Agglomerating seeds to enhance native seedling emergence and growth , 2012 .

[16]  J. Aune,et al.  EFFECT OF SEED PRIMING AND MICRO-DOSING OF FERTILIZER ON SORGHUM AND PEARL MILLET IN WESTERN SUDAN , 2011, Experimental Agriculture.

[17]  Peter B. R. Hazell,et al.  Drought insurance for agricultural development and food security in dryland areas , 2010, Food Security.

[18]  V. Vadez,et al.  PHOSPHORUS COATING ON PEARL MILLET SEED IN LOW P ALFISOL IMPROVES PLANT ESTABLISHMENT AND INCREASES STOVER MORE THAN SEED YIELD , 2010, Experimental Agriculture.

[19]  R. Voortman.  Explorations into African land resource ecology: on the chemistry between soils, plants and fertilizers. , 2010 .

[20]  V. Vadez,et al.  A minute P application contributes to a better establishment of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) seedling in P deficient soils , 2010 .

[21]  Georg Ch. Pflug,et al.  Investigating the Impact of Climate Change on the Robustness of Index-Based Microinsurance in Malawi , 2008 .

[22]  福岡 正信,et al.  The one-straw revolution : an introduction to natural farming , 2009 .

[23]  Jing Liu,et al.  Optimization of germination conditions to enhance hydroxyl radical inhibition by water-soluble protein from stress millet , 2008 .

[24]  T. Naik,et al.  Effect of weed management practices and fertility levels on growth and yield parameters in finger millet , 2007 .

[25]  I. Ezeaku,et al.  Character association and path analysis in grain sorghum , 2006 .

[26]  S. Klasen,et al.  Gender and Growth in Africa: Evidence and Issues , 2006 .

[27]  W. Baethgen,et al.  A farm-level evaluation of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer use and planting density for pearl millet production in Niger , 1992, Fertilizer research.

[28]  H. S. Shetty,et al.  Seed bio-priming with Pseudomonas fluorescens isolates enhances growth of pearl millet plants and induces resistance against downy mildew , 2004 .

[29]  S. Lutts,et al.  Effect of salt and osmotic stresses on germination in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) , 2001, Plant and Soil.

[30]  N. V. Duivenbooden,et al.  Fertilization of millet cv. Souna III in Senegal: dry matter production and nutrient uptake , 1993, Fertilizer research.

[31]  H. Marschner,et al.  Phosphorus seed coating increases phosphorus uptake, early growth and yield of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) grown on an acid sandy soil in Niger, West Africa , 1993, Fertilizer research.

[32]  M. Bantilan,et al.  Impacts of genetic enhancement in pearl millet. , 2003 .

[33]  Cheryl R. Doss,et al.  Designing Agricultural Technology for African Women Farmers: Lessons from 25 Years of Experience , 2001 .

[34]  D. Carter.  COPING WITH CLIMATE , 2001 .

[35]  M. Verloo,et al.  Characteristics of wood ash and influence on soil properties and nutrient uptake: an overview. , 2001, Bioresource technology.

[36]  R. Dick,et al.  Use of Compost and Mineral Fertilizers for Millet Production by Farmers in the Semiarid Region of Senegal , 2001 .

[37]  A. Buerkert,et al.  Effects of mycorrhizae and phosphorus on growth and nutrient uptake of millet, cowpea and sorghum on a West African soil , 2000, The Journal of Agricultural Science.

[38]  A. Bationo,et al.  Rotation and nitrogen fertilizer effects on pearl millet, cowpea and groundnut yield and soil chemical properties in a sandy soil in the semi-arid tropics, West Africa , 2000, The Journal of Agricultural Science.

[39]  A. Buerkert.  Effects of crop residues, phosphorus, and spatial soil variability on yield and nutrient uptake of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) in southwest Niger. , 1995 .

[40]  A. Manu,et al.  FERTILITY STATUS OF SELECTED MILLET PRODUCING SOILS OF WEST AFRICA WITH EMPHASIS ON PHOSPHORUS , 1991 .

[41]  J. McIntire,et al.  On-farm Experiments with Millet in Niger: Crop Establishment, Yield Loss Factors and Economic Analysis , 1989, Experimental Agriculture.

[42]  M. Sivakumar,et al.  PREDICTING RAINY SEASON POTENTIAL FROM THE ONSET OF RAINS IN SOUTHERN SAHELIAN AND SUDANIAN CLIMATIC ZONES OF WEST AFRICA , 1988 .

[43]  K. Nishimoto.  Characteristics of Wood , 1979 .