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Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is a staple food crop in Burkina Faso that is widely grown in the Sahelian and Sudano-Sahelian zones, characterised by poor soil conditions and erratic rainfall, and high temperatures. The objective of this study was to document farmers’ perceptions of the prevailing constraints affecting pearl millet production and related approaches to manage the parasitic weeds S. hermonthica. The study was conducted in the Sahel, Sudano-Sahelian zones in the North, North Central, West Central, Central Plateau, and South Central of Burkina Faso. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and focus group discussions involving 492 participant farmers. Recurrent drought, S. hermonthica infestation, shortage of labour, lack of fertilisers, lack of cash, and the use of low-yielding varieties were the main challenges hindering pearl millet production in the study areas. The majority of the respondents (40%) ranked S. hermonthica infestation as the primary constraint affecting pearl millet production. Respondent farmers reported yield losses of up to 80% due to S. hermonthica infestation. 61.4% of the respondents in the study areas had achieved a mean pearl millet yields of <1 t/ha. Poor access and the high cost of introduced seed, and a lack of farmers preferred traits in the existing introduced pearl millet varieties were the main reasons for their low adoption, as reported by 32% of respondents. S. hermonthica management options in pearl millet production fields included moisture conservation using terraces, manual hoeing, hand weeding, use of microplots locally referred to as ‘zaï’, crop rotation and mulching. These management techniques were ineffective because they do not suppress the below ground S. hermonthica seed, and they are difficult to implement. Integrated management practices employing breeding for S. hermonthica resistant varieties with the aforementioned control measures could offer a sustainable solution for S. hermonthica management and improved pearl millet productivity in Burkina Faso.
Armel Rouamba; Hussein Shimelis; Inoussa Drabo; Mark Laing; Prakash Gangashetty; Isack Mathew; Emmanuel Mrema; Admire Shayanowako. Constraints to Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) Production and Farmers’ Approaches to Striga hermonthica Management in Burkina Faso. Sustainability 2021, 13, 8460 .
AMA StyleArmel Rouamba, Hussein Shimelis, Inoussa Drabo, Mark Laing, Prakash Gangashetty, Isack Mathew, Emmanuel Mrema, Admire Shayanowako. Constraints to Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) Production and Farmers’ Approaches to Striga hermonthica Management in Burkina Faso. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (15):8460.
Chicago/Turabian StyleArmel Rouamba; Hussein Shimelis; Inoussa Drabo; Mark Laing; Prakash Gangashetty; Isack Mathew; Emmanuel Mrema; Admire Shayanowako. 2021. "Constraints to Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) Production and Farmers’ Approaches to Striga hermonthica Management in Burkina Faso." Sustainability 13, no. 15: 8460.
SUMMARYThe low yield of pearl millet largely due to the low adoption of improved varieties substantiates the application of client-oriented plant breeding for pearl millet. Hence to enhance adoption, new varieties must correspond to farmers’ preferences and respond to the constraints prevailing in the production environments, participatory rural appraisals were conducted in two agro-ecological zones (Sahel and North-Sudan) to determine farmers’ preferences in the choice of varieties and to identify constraints to pearl millet production. The study revealed that the major production constraints are hierarchically drought, Striga, head miner, bird and downy mildew. Compact panicle, large grain size and non-bristle panicle were the most preferred traits in pearl millet across agro-ecological zones. Very long panicle and early maturity crop cycle were more preferred in the Sahel zone whereas, in the North-Sudan zone medium panicle length and medium maturity cycle were more preferred by farmers. Traits largely rejected by farmers were small grain size, narrow, loose and bristled panicle. Very few investigations were done to understand the raison of the low adoption of improved technologies in pearl millet. This study identified the major criteria of new pearl millet variety adoption by farmers. It is expected that breeding program must integrate these criteria in new pearl millet variety profiling to enhance adoption.
Inoussa Drabo; Roger G. Zangre; Eric Y. Danquah; Kwadwo Ofori; John R. Witcombe; C. Tom Hash. IDENTIFYING FARMERS’ PREFERENCES AND CONSTRAINTS TO PEARL MILLET PRODUCTION IN THE SAHEL AND NORTH-SUDAN ZONES OF BURKINA FASO. Experimental Agriculture 2018, 55, 765 -775.
AMA StyleInoussa Drabo, Roger G. Zangre, Eric Y. Danquah, Kwadwo Ofori, John R. Witcombe, C. Tom Hash. IDENTIFYING FARMERS’ PREFERENCES AND CONSTRAINTS TO PEARL MILLET PRODUCTION IN THE SAHEL AND NORTH-SUDAN ZONES OF BURKINA FASO. Experimental Agriculture. 2018; 55 (5):765-775.
Chicago/Turabian StyleInoussa Drabo; Roger G. Zangre; Eric Y. Danquah; Kwadwo Ofori; John R. Witcombe; C. Tom Hash. 2018. "IDENTIFYING FARMERS’ PREFERENCES AND CONSTRAINTS TO PEARL MILLET PRODUCTION IN THE SAHEL AND NORTH-SUDAN ZONES OF BURKINA FASO." Experimental Agriculture 55, no. 5: 765-775.