Does <i>Jatropha curcas</i> L. show resistance to drought in the Sahelian zone of West Africa? A case study from Burkina Faso
-
Published:2015-05-21
Issue:2
Volume:6
Page:525-531
-
ISSN:1869-9529
-
Container-title:Solid Earth
-
language:en
-
Short-container-title:Solid Earth
Author:
Bayen P.ORCID, Sop T. K., Lykke A. M., Thiombiano A.
Abstract
Abstract. Land degradation is an environmental problem which weakens agro-sylvo-pastoral productivity in sub-Saharan Africa. The most common manifestation of land degradation is the appearance of denuded land. We carried out an experiment to test the effect of three soil and water conservation techniques on survival and growth of Jatropha curcas seedlings transplanted onto two completely denuded lands in the Sahelian and Sudanian zones of Burkina Faso. We implemented an experimental design with three replicates per restoration technique. A total of 174 seedlings were planted in each study site. The results showed that the soil water content varied according to the restoration technique used (df = 2; F = 53.21; p < 0.00) as well as according to study site (df = 1; F = 74.48; p < 0.00). Soil water content was significantly lower in the Sahel than in the Sudanian zone. Seedling survival rate varied significantly according to technique used (df = 2; F = 8.91; p = 0.000) and study site (df = 1; F = 9.74; p = 0.003). Survival rate, diameter and seedling height were highest at the Sudanian site. At the Sahelian site, all seedlings died 2 years after establishment. These results suggest that J. curcas is unsuited to denuded land in the Sahelian zone. Most of the plants died in the Sahel between April and May, which is the peak of the dry season; this may be an indication that J. curcas may not be as drought-resistant as suggested by the prolific literature which has reported on diverse claims surrounding this plant.
Publisher
Copernicus GmbH
Subject
Paleontology,Stratigraphy,Earth-Surface Processes,Geochemistry and Petrology,Geology,Geophysics,Soil Science
Reference34 articles.
1. Achten, W. M. J., Verchot, L., Franken, Y. J., Mathijs, E., Singh, V. P., Aerts, R., and Muys, B.: Jatropha bio-diesel production and use, Biomass Bioenerg., 32, 1063–1084, 2008. 2. Achten, W. M. J., Maes, W. H., Reubens, B., Mathijs, E., Singh, V. P., Verchot, L., and Muys, B.: Biomass production and allocation in Jatropha curcas L. seedlings under different levels of drought stress, Biomass Bioenerg., 34, 667–676, 2010a. 3. Achten, W. M. J., Maes, W. H., Aerts, R., Verchot, L., Trabucco, A., Mathijs, E., Singh, V. P., and Muys B.: Jatropha: from global hype to local opportunity, J. Arid Environ., 74, 164–165, 2010b. 4. Banerjee, A. K.: Revegetation Technologies, in: Watershed development in Asia: strategies and technologies, World Bank Technical Paper No. 127, World Bank: Washington, DC, USA, 109–129, 1990. 5. Barua, S. K., and Haque S. M. S.: Soil characteristics and carbon sequestration potentials of vegetation in degraded hills of chittagong, Bangladesh, Land Degrad. Develop., 24, 63–71, 2013.
Cited by
5 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献
|
|