Effect of rain drop washes on soil fertility in cotton production zone of Burkina Faso

Abstract

Crop production in the Sahel is limited by nutrients availability. The study aimed to estimate the contribution of avifauna, crop rotation and trees to soil fertility and crop production improvement. Pot experiment was carried out with soils sampled in Faidherbia albida parklands in cotton production zone of West Burkina Faso. The treatments consisted of two levels of sampling sites (outside and under the crown of Faidherbia albida), three types of previous crop (fallow, maize and sorghum) and two levels of fertilization (normal rain drop and raindrop washes). Results showed that cotton plants height were affected by sampling site and previous crop between 30 and 80 days after sowing. Rain drop washes contained nutrients that can help to improve soil fertility although their nutrients level in the soil is too small to have an impact significant on cotton plant development. No significant difference was observed between factors for the number of nodes and generative branches except for sampling site. Nutrients content in cotton plants was affected by the soil sampling site, the previous crop and the fertilization.