ISSN 2375-1185
African Journal of Agronomy ISSN: 2375-1185 Vol. 13 (10), pp. 001-015, October, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Effect of Piliostigma reticulatum Intercropping on Crop Developmental Stages and Growth
Authors: Roger Bayala*1, Ibrahima Diedhiou2, Nathaniel A. Bogie3, Matthew B H Bright4; Y. Ndour Badiane5, Teamrat Ghezzehei6 and Richard P. Dick4
1UFR Agroforestrie, Jean Lorougnon Guédé Université, Daloa, BP 150 Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire.
2University Der THIAM of Thiès, École Nationale Supérieure d’Agriculture (ENSA) BP.A. 296 Thiès, Sénégal University Iba Der THIAM of Thies.
3Geology Department, San José State University, One Washington Square, San José California, USA, 95192
4School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210.
5Laboratoire National de Recherche sur les Productions Végétales BP 3120, Dakar Sénégal.
6 University of California, Merced 5200 N. Lake Dr. Merced, CA 95343. Corresponding Author Email: [email protected]
Abstract
Received 06 August, 2025; Revised 20 August, 2025; Accepted 21 August, 2025; Published 24 October, 2025
Yields of crops in the Sahel are well below the theoretical potential due to degraded soils from intensification of cropping, overgrazing, and scavenging for fuel wood. Local, biologically based systems that provide organic inputs are needed to address these agroecological challenges. The Optimized Shrub-intercropping System (OSS) utilizing Piliostigma reticulatum that has elevated density (~1500 shrubs ha-1) where coppiced biomass is annually added to soil has been shown to remediate soils and increases crop yields, However, limited information is available on physiological and growth mechanisms of the two major crops in Senegal, pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L) R. Br) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L) under OSS. The objective was to determine the effect of interplanted P. reticulatum on crop development under varying rates of fertilizer in northern Senega L The experiment (from 2013 to 2016) was a split-plot factorial design. The presence (OSS) or absence of P. reticulatum (no OSS management) was the main plot factor and fertilizer rate (0, 0.5, 1 or 1.5 times the recommended N-P-K rate) was the subplot factor. OSS increased, over no OSS, tiller/stem and leaf number in the drier years of 2014 and 2015 whereas millet height was higher for OSS over non-OSS across all years. Except for 2013, the presence of P. reticulatum—reduced days to millet and peanut maturity by 7 to 9 days. Correlation of crop physiological properties with yield provided evidence that mechanistically, the OSS yield response was related to increased millet tillering with OSS. The most dramatic benefits on crop growth response due to OSS occurred when there was greater water stress and at the zero fertilizer rate – shown with OSS increasing millet height by as much as 105 % (2015). The results also indicate OSS increases fertilizer efficiency. This shrub as the basis for OSS, is a locally available resource that can be readily used by subsistence farmers of the Sahel.
Key words: West Africa, agroforestry, Optimized Shrub Intercropping, millet, peanut, physiology, Piliostigma reticulatum.