Effet des touffes de Guiera senegalensis (J.F. Gmel) sur la fertilité des sols dans la région de maradi (Niger)

Abstract

Objectives: In arid and semi-arid, the degradation and the decline in the fertility of land is a major concern for farmers. At Guidan Bakoye, in the Maradi region, to cope with this, the farmers have adopted the assisted natural regeneration to rebuild a degraded environment due to uncontrolled use. Thus, woody species like Guiera senegalensis (Guiera du Sénégal) have been bred and maintained in this region. The present study deals with the influence of the tufts of this plant on the soil fertility of Guidan Bakoye. Methodology and Results: A device block randomized complete with three repetitions of the tufts, was used in the field. Soil Samples were carried out around the tufts according to the cardinal points, the distances of 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 cm of the tuft and the soil depth (0 -10 ; 10 -20, 20 -30 and 30 -40 cm). Conclusion and application of research: This study show a high rate of Guiera senegalensis repopulation (1800 plants/ha) in the soil through assisted natural regeneration and the introduction of the technique of layering. In addition, the results of the physico-chemical analysis of soils under Guiera senegalensis have shown the absence of textural change with the distance, and the predominance of sand in the surface horizons, indicating that the tufts of Guiera senegalensis trap essentially the sand transported by the wind. It is also apparent that the tufts of Guiera senegalensis did not seem to influence the pH, the capacity of the cation exchange and the Ca in contrast to the organic matter, phosphorus, Mg and K. In the end, the tufts of Guiera senegalensis improve moderately physico-chemical properties of the soil.