Philippe YAMEOGO

PhD topic: Effect of mineral fertilization combined with legumes on soil fertility and carbon stocks in cereal production in Burkina Faso

Summary: Low soil carbon stocks and low phosphorus content and mobility are considered to be one of the main constraints to food production in sub-Saharan countries. The use of legumes in intercropping systems could lead to greater availability and efficient use of nutrients. It is in this context that the present study was initiated with the aim of determining the combined effects of legumes and increasing doses of phosphorus on the soil and millet productivity. The experimental design used is a split-split plot with three factors: Gliricidia sepium (Gl), cowpea (Cw), and phosphate fertilizer (P). Millet was grown in additive intercropping with cowpea in plots under Gliricidia and outside Gliricidia with increasing doses of phosphate fertilizer (P0, P50, P100) applied randomly in four replicates. Millet was shown in all plots with a sown proportion of 88 when intercropped with Gliricidia, 65 in intercropping with Gl+Cw, and 50 in intercropping with Cw. Soil carbon content, soil total nitrogen and total phosphorus, soil assimilable phosphorus, available potassium, and soil pH were analyzed in soil samples taken at a depth of 0 to 20 cm at the beginning and end of the experiment. Yields of millet grain, shoot, and root were assessed. The first-year results on soil chemical parameters show that the interaction of Gliricidia+phosphorus+cowpea did not significantly influence soil carbon stock (p=0.95), assimilable potassium (p=0.51), and soil pH (p=0.47). However, treatments without Gliricidia recorded a significantly higher assimilable phosphorus content (5.84 mg/kg) than treatments with Gliricidia (5.08 mg/kg). Soil pH decreased significantly with Gliricidia (pH=4.72) compared to treatments without Gliricidia (pH=5.45). The interaction of Gliricidia + cowpea + phosphorus led to a significant increase (p<0.001) in grain, shoot, and root yields. The millet partial land equivalent ratio was higher than 0.5, indicating that intercropping uses less land but produces more yield than the monocrop. This difference is influenced by phosphorus doses (p<0.01) and the presence of Gliricidia. However, millet yield was more stable when it was intercropped with Gliricidia sepium. Therefore, the use of Gliricidia sepium in combination with cropping systems in Burkina Faso could be an alternative for sustainable agriculture.

Supervisor(s) name(s): Dr Désiré Jean Pascal LOMPO

Area of interest: Agropedology

Educational background: 

• 2019- 2022: Master's degree in Resource Utilization and Plant Protection at China Agriculture University, China.
• 2014–2017: Agricultural Engineering at “Centre Agricole Polyvalent de Matourkou” (CAP-M) in Burkina Faso.
• 2011 - 2012: Master's degree in basic and applied geology at Université Joseph KI ZERBO in Burkina Faso.

Professional experience: 

• 2017 - 2019: Agricultural Engineer at the Ministry of Agriculture, Ziniare, Burkina Faso;
• 2017: Trainee, at Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD),  Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Implementing field experiments, carrying out activities in the agroecological field (sensitization of farmers in the agroecology system), and conducting farmers' surveys;
• 2015: Agro-pedological study as part of the development of the perimeter of the left shore of the Soum dam in Koudougou (Burkina Faso); mapping survey; Description of the pedological trench and soil surveys;
• 2014: Trainee at Bureau des Mines et de la Géologie du Burkina in the Direction of Geological and Mining Resources; Description of the job: Geological mapping of details, description of rock, and analysis of their structural, mineralogical, and chemical properties.

Awards/scholaships: 

• 2022: ProRuWA scholarship reward.
• 2021: The best student awards for diligence and persistence at China Agricultural University;
• 2021: Best student awards for the best quality working diary at China Agricultural University;
• 2019: Scholarship from the Chinese Government for study at China Agricultural University.

Primary research keywords: Gliricidia sepium, phosphorus, soil fertility, millet, sustainable agriculture.

Email address:yameogophilippe8[at]gmail[dot]com