151
was a 49% yield increase in 2006, whereas the increase for 2007 and 2008 was up
to 12%. These results show that the effect of seed priming is highly variable between
years. Seed priming kick-starts plant growth and can ensure a better crop establishment (Harris et al. 2001; Aune and Ousman 2011). The crop can thereby better utilize available water early in the growing season and benefit from the nitrogen flush
early in the growing season (Birch 1958). Use of seed priming can be considered as
a “long-hanging fruit” for agricultural intensification as the method entails no additional cost and the additional labor is very low.
Yields were further increased when seed priming was combined with microdosing. As for priming, the effects of microdosing were more pronounced in sorghum
than in millet in terms of percentage yield increase in kg/ha. In 2006 seed priming
combined with 2 g of fertilizer per pocket increased yield by 92% and 131% for
millet and sorghum, respectively (Table 2). In 2007 and 2008 there were two microdosing treatments: one used an application of 0.5 g at sowing (T3) and the other
treatment used an application of 2 g of fertilizer per pocket about 15 days after sowTable 2 Effects of seed priming and microdosing of fertilizer on millet and sorghum yields (kg/
ha), Konobougou-Nossombougou 2006
Treatment
Grain
Millet Sorghum
T1 control
1107c 1087c
T2 seed priming
1644b 1686b
T3 seed priming + fertilizer microdosing at 2 g per pocket of cereal blend
(50 kg/ha) 15 DAS
2128a 2506a
Treatment
∗∗
∗∗
Treatment × site
ns
∗∗
CV (%)
41
32
Cereal blend contains 15-15-15 NPK; DAS days after sowing
** Significant less than p < 0.01
Table 3 Effects of seed priming and fertilizer microdosing on millet and sorghum yields (kg/ha),
2007–2008 in Koulikoro and Segou regions
Treatment
Millet
Sorghum
Didi. Kon. Nosso Kono.
T1 control
1135b 1537b 1646d 1549c
T2 seed priming
1240b 1736b 1965c 1732bc
T3 seed priming +0.5 g fertilizer per pocket at planting but in
different hole by the seed
1325a 2074a 2331b 1978ab
T4 seed priming +2 g fertilizer per hole of cereal blend, 15
DAS
1567a 2034a 2816a 2011a
Treatment
∗
∗∗
∗∗
∗∗
Treatment × year
ns
ns
∗∗
ns
CV (%)
34
30
25
20
DAS days after sowing
* Significant less than p < 0.05,
**Significant less than p < 0.01
Intensification of Sorghum and Pearl Millet Production in the Sahel-Sudanian Climatic…
was a 49% yield increase in 2006, whereas the increase for 2007 and 2008 was up
to 12%. These results show that the effect of seed priming is highly variable between
years. Seed priming kick-starts plant growth and can ensure a better crop establishment (Harris et al. 2001; Aune and Ousman 2011). The crop can thereby better utilize available water early in the growing season and benefit from the nitrogen flush
early in the growing season (Birch 1958). Use of seed priming can be considered as
a “long-hanging fruit” for agricultural intensification as the method entails no additional cost and the additional labor is very low.
Yields were further increased when seed priming was combined with microdosing. As for priming, the effects of microdosing were more pronounced in sorghum
than in millet in terms of percentage yield increase in kg/ha. In 2006 seed priming
combined with 2 g of fertilizer per pocket increased yield by 92% and 131% for
millet and sorghum, respectively (Table 2). In 2007 and 2008 there were two microdosing treatments: one used an application of 0.5 g at sowing (T3) and the other
treatment used an application of 2 g of fertilizer per pocket about 15 days after sowTable 2 Effects of seed priming and microdosing of fertilizer on millet and sorghum yields (kg/
ha), Konobougou-Nossombougou 2006
Treatment
Grain
Millet Sorghum
T1 control
1107c 1087c
T2 seed priming
1644b 1686b
T3 seed priming + fertilizer microdosing at 2 g per pocket of cereal blend
(50 kg/ha) 15 DAS
2128a 2506a
Treatment
∗∗
∗∗
Treatment × site
ns
∗∗
CV (%)
41
32
Cereal blend contains 15-15-15 NPK; DAS days after sowing
** Significant less than p < 0.01
Table 3 Effects of seed priming and fertilizer microdosing on millet and sorghum yields (kg/ha),
2007–2008 in Koulikoro and Segou regions
Treatment
Millet
Sorghum
Didi. Kon. Nosso Kono.
T1 control
1135b 1537b 1646d 1549c
T2 seed priming
1240b 1736b 1965c 1732bc
T3 seed priming +0.5 g fertilizer per pocket at planting but in
different hole by the seed
1325a 2074a 2331b 1978ab
T4 seed priming +2 g fertilizer per hole of cereal blend, 15
DAS
1567a 2034a 2816a 2011a
Treatment
∗
∗∗
∗∗
∗∗
Treatment × year
ns
ns
∗∗
ns
CV (%)
34
30
25
20
DAS days after sowing
* Significant less than p < 0.05,
**Significant less than p < 0.01
Intensification of Sorghum and Pearl Millet Production in the Sahel-Sudanian Climatic…