Effet de la litière de cordyla pinnata sur les cultures: Approche expérimentale en agroforesterie

Abstract

Litterfall may be an important way of nutrient transfer from trees to soils. The leaf annual biomass production of C. pinnata in a parkland located in Senegal was 33.7 g m-2. The predicted weight loss of the leaf litter was 75% within 67 days. Increasing litter dose (0, 39, 78, 156 kg per t of soil or DO, D39, D78 and D156, respectively) in the soil from DO to D156 increased total N, exchangeable Ca, Mg and K, but decreased extractable P (p = 0.0428). Total biomass of peanut plants decreased (-29%) from DO to D156 (p < 0.001) while litter additions to the soil increased total biomass of millet plants (p = 0.005) compared to the control. C. pinnata leaf litter showed then a potential to increase soil fertility and to modify crop yield.