Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA), Programme Gestion des Ressources Naturelles et Système de Production (GRN, SP), INERA-Farako-Ba, Laboratoire Sol Eau Plante, BP 910 Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
Given the climatic variability of recent years, characterized by numerous pockets of drought in the western zone of Burkina Faso, the application of zaï technology could be an alternative to cope with rainfall deficits. With this in mind, a zaï trial was set up at the INERA station in Farako-Bâ in a completely randomized Fisher block design with seven (7) treatments, including T0 (no zaï+compost+MD), T1 (zaï 15 cm+compost), T2 (20 cm+ compost), T3 (zaï 30 cm+ compost), T4 (zaï 15 cm + compost +MD), T5 (zaï 20 cm + compost +MD), T6 (zaï 30 cm + compost +MD). The parameters observed were the size of the zaï holes and the maize yield. The results show that treatments T5 (zaï 20 cm + compost +MD) and T6 (zaï 30 cm + compost +MD) have respectively the best performances in terms of grain yield (2.69 t/ha and 2.68 t/ha) and straw yield (4.1 t/ha and 3.6 t/ha). The results of this study show that zai technology associated with micro-dosing of fertilizer can be adapted in the South Sudanian zone of Burkina Faso and can be a means of adaptation to increasingly difficult rainfall conditions marked by pockets of drought. zaï holes with diameters of 20 and 30 cm increase maize crop yields.
In Burkina Faso, agriculture is the basis of the country's social and economic development. In the wake of the oil crisis of the 2000s, Jatropha curcas has generated renewed interest from stakeholders in biofuel production and its use to mitigate the effects of climate change. Despite this certain enthusiasm, very little work has been done on the cultivation of Jatropha curcas. It is within this framework that this research work is part of which the overall objective is to study the impact of Jatropha curcas on the physical and chemical properties of soils in the South Sudan area of Burkina Faso. To do this, an activity was carried out on the establishment of an assessment system in farmers' plantations in the villages of Torokoro and Tin in order to collect information on the impact of the plant on soil properties. The results of the study indicate that the soils are richer in nutrients under the crown of Jatropha curcas. The plant improves the soil's carbon content by 17 to 21% compared to the Jatropha-free field. The cultivation of Jatropha curcas could therefore be considered to combat land degradation in the South Sudan area.