Impact of Fertilizer Usage on Crop Productivity at Siguidolo

Abstract

On a poor soil, fertilizers application is the best ways to meet crop need and restore the lost nutrients. However, its application is constrained in Mali due to the low access to fertilizers by smallholder farmers, resulting in low crop production. Today, make available to farmer’s fertilizer and information needed for its proper use is an essential asset for sustainable agriculture and food security. Before, assessing the existing fertilizer usage and it impact on yield is a prerequisite. A study was done to characterise fertiliser management practices at Siguidolo and assess the impact on millet and sorghum yields. Thus, normalized difference vegetation Index (NDVI) and visual interpretation were used to estimate vegetation cover as sources of organic matter (OM). Investigation was doneto get information about manure production and areas occupied by crop production. Geographic Information System and Survey was done to obtain information on fields, fertilizer used and yields. The results showed low vegetation cover (0.02 to 0.24) indicating low source of organic matter. The mean manure produced was 14373kg/ha/year while 69300kg was recommended. Organic fertilizers and integrated organic and mineral fertilizers occupied greater area. About 24.1% of the area did not received fertilizer. The extremely low fertility areas tended to receive more nutrient application. Indications are that, even in those areas where fertilizers were applied, the right quantities were seldom used. Low yield for millet and sorghum was recorded ranging from 414.66 kg ha-1 to 703.80 kg ha-1 for millet and 404.12 kg ha-1 to 448.04 kg ha-1 for sorghum.