Short Term Effects of the Shea Tree Caterpillars (Cirina butyrospermi Vuillet) Manure on the Chemical Properties of the Soil in the Soudanian Area of Burkina Faso
Kalifa Coulibaly *
Laboratoire D’étude et de Recherche sur la Fertilité du sol (LERF), Institut du Développement Rural (IDR), Université Polytechnique de Bobo-Dioulasso (UPB), BP 1091 and Unité de Recherche sur la Production Animale (URPAN), Centre International de Recherche-Développement sur L’elevage en Zone Sub-humide (CIRDES), BP 454, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
Alain P. K. Gomgnimbou
Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherche Agricole (INERA), Station de Farako-Bâ, 01 BP 910 Bobo 01, Burkina Faso.
Jérôme T. Yameogo
Laboratoire des Systèmes Naturels, des Agrosystèmes et de L’ingénierie de L’environnement (SyNAIE), Institut du Développement Rural (IDR), Université Polytechnique de Bobo-Dioulasso (UPB), BP 1091, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
Moussa Gnissien
Laboratoire D’étude et de Recherche sur la Fertilité du sol (LERF), Institut du Développement Rural (IDR), Université Polytechnique de Bobo-Dioulasso (UPB), BP 1091, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
Hassan B. Nacro
Laboratoire D’étude et de Recherche sur la Fertilité du sol (LERF), Institut du Développement Rural (IDR), Université Polytechnique de Bobo-Dioulasso (UPB), BP 1091,
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: There is an acute decrease in soil productivity in the soudano-sahelian areas of West Africa. This has called for research to develop mitigation measures in order to restore soil fertility. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the manure of shea tree caterpillars on the chemical parameters of the soil.
Methodology: To achieve that aim, 2 experiments were conducted, an in-pot trial with 8 treatments (T0 to T7) and a field trial with 3 treatments (T1 to T3) were set up.
Results: The treatments T5 (5T ha-1 of caterpillar manure + 150 kg ha-1 of NPK) and T4 (5 T ha-1 of caterpillar manure) showed significant and positive effects (P = 0.05) on pH, C and N. The treatment T1 of the in-pot trial (1.5 T ha-1 of caterpillar manure) (pH=5.78), had a significant effect only on the pH, compared with the absolute control T0 (no fertilizer, pH = 5.64) and the treatment T7 (farmers’ practice, 150 kg ha-1 of NPK and 50 kg ha-1 of urea, pH=5.35). The caterpillars manure did not show any significant short-term effect on the total phosphorus and the total potassium neither in-pot nor in the field trial.
Conclusion: For a best valorization of the caterpillar manure produced in situ in the shea tree fields, there must be an appropriate combination with mineral fertilizers and application near seed-holes.
Keywords: In-pot trial, field trial, caterpillar manure;, soil fertility