Directory UMM :Data Elmu:jurnal:S:Soil & Tillage Research:Vol56.Issue3-4.Aug2000:
Soil & Tillage Research 56 (2000) 175±183
Runoff and sorghum performance as affected by the spacing
of stone lines in the semiarid Sahelian zone
R. ZougmoreÂa,*, S. Guillobezb, N.F. Kamboua, G. Sonc
a
Institut de l'Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA), 03 BP 7192, Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso
Centre International en Recherches Agronomiques pour le DeÂveloppement (CIRAD), BP 5035, 34032 Montpellier, France
c
Institut de Recherches en Sciences AppliqueÂes et Technologies (IRSAT), 03 BP 7047, Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso
b
Received 8 September 1999; received in revised form 7 April 2000; accepted 26 June 2000
Abstract
Crop yields are primarily water-limited in dryland production systems in semiarid regions. This study was conducted in a
catchment located in the ``plateau central'' of Burkina Faso to assess the impact of the space between stone lines on runoff and
crop performance. The experimental design consisted of four plots in which stone lines were installed. The spacing between
the lines was 100 m in the ®rst plot, 50 m in the second, 33 m in the third, and 25 m in the last plot. The soil was a Ferric
lixisol and the slope, which is characteristic of the area, was about 1±3%. Subplots placed at regular and ®xed distances from
the lines were used to monitor soil water content and crop yield. Runoff from all plots was measured using a water discharge
recorder. It was found that 31% of rainfall was lost through runoff in plots without stone lines. The ef®ciency of stone lines in
checking runoff and in improving soil water storage increased with reduced stone line spacing (runoff was reduced by an
average of 5% on plots where the space between the lines was 33 m, but was reduced by 23% when the stone line spacing was
25 m). Soil water content decreased with increasing distance from the stone line. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)
performance was greatly affected by stone line and plant straw and grain yield were doubled in plots with stone lines
compared with those of plots without stone lines. At an area of about 6 m from the stone lines (upslope), where organomineral sediments were collected, sorghum grain yields were 60% greater than that obtained at 19 m from stone lines. The
stone line technique seems to be a sound option to mitigate water stress during dry spells. # 2000 Published by Elsevier
Science B.V.
Keywords: Runoff; Stone lines spacing; Water conservation; Sorghum; Sahel
1. Introduction
Erratic rainfall and loss of water through runoff are
major agriculture problems in the Sahel (Mando,
1997). The loss through runoff is caused by the
high intensity of the rainfall, the low organic matter
*
Corresponding author. Tel.: 226-34-02-70;
fax: 226-34-02-71.
E-mail address: robert.zougmore@messrs.gov.bf (R. ZougmoreÂ).
content of the soils and the extent of soils with surface crusts and seals (Roose, 1981). In the Sahelian
zone, the combined effects of climatic conditions, soil
quality and human activities have resulted in soil
degradation, due to crusting, sealing, erosion by
water and wind (Casenave and Valentin, 1989;
ZougmoreÂ, 1991; Mando et al., 1999) and the loss
of nutrients through erosion and runoff (Roose, 1981;
Stroosnijder and Hoogmoed, 1984). Because of
the degradation phenomenon, crop production and
0167-1987/00/$ ± see front matter # 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.
PII: S 0 1 6 7 - 1 9 8 7 ( 0 0 ) 0 0 1 3 7 - 9
176
R. Zougmore et al. / Soil & Tillage Research 56 (2000) 175±183
animal production are at risk (Mando and Stroosnijder, 1999).
To solve the degradation problem, farmers have
developed a range of measures, including runoff
control, soil structure improvement, and nutrient
management (Delwaulle, 1973; Mando et al., 2000).
Soil and water conservation extensionists have put
emphasis on the implementation of the stone line
technique to check runoff and to control erosion
(Rochette, 1989; Mando et al., 2000). On-farm
research has shown that stone lines are ef®cient in
increasing soil water status and in reducing soil erosion and downward particle transport (LamacheÁre and
SerpantieÂ, 1991; Van Duijn et al., 1994). Empirical
models using slope data as input were used to design
stone line structures (Guillobez, 1990; Roose, 1994)
and linear programming was used to study the socioeconomic bene®ts of stone lines (Maatman et al.,
1998). However, few data on the role of the spacing
between stone lines on the ef®cacy of the stone line
technique are available.
The aim of this study was to establish the effect of
the space between stone lines on runoff, on soil water
content and on crop performance. This is a prerequisite for the use of stone lines for crop production and
environmental protection.
2. Material and methods
2.1. Environmental setting and experimental design
The experiment was conducted in Kirsi village,
which is at about 150 km northwest of Ouagadougou
(13830 N and 18540 W). The average slope was about
0.8% and the major soil type, which covers 70% of the
country was a Ferric lixisol (FAO, 1976; FAO±
UNESCO, 1989). The usual depth of the soil equalled
or exceeded 60 cm and plinthite sometimes occurred
at the 60 cm depth. The topsoil was sandy-loamy
(470 g kgÿ1 sand, 280 g kgÿ1 silt, and 200 g kgÿ1
clay). Soil structure was moderately developed and
pH (H2O) was
Runoff and sorghum performance as affected by the spacing
of stone lines in the semiarid Sahelian zone
R. ZougmoreÂa,*, S. Guillobezb, N.F. Kamboua, G. Sonc
a
Institut de l'Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA), 03 BP 7192, Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso
Centre International en Recherches Agronomiques pour le DeÂveloppement (CIRAD), BP 5035, 34032 Montpellier, France
c
Institut de Recherches en Sciences AppliqueÂes et Technologies (IRSAT), 03 BP 7047, Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso
b
Received 8 September 1999; received in revised form 7 April 2000; accepted 26 June 2000
Abstract
Crop yields are primarily water-limited in dryland production systems in semiarid regions. This study was conducted in a
catchment located in the ``plateau central'' of Burkina Faso to assess the impact of the space between stone lines on runoff and
crop performance. The experimental design consisted of four plots in which stone lines were installed. The spacing between
the lines was 100 m in the ®rst plot, 50 m in the second, 33 m in the third, and 25 m in the last plot. The soil was a Ferric
lixisol and the slope, which is characteristic of the area, was about 1±3%. Subplots placed at regular and ®xed distances from
the lines were used to monitor soil water content and crop yield. Runoff from all plots was measured using a water discharge
recorder. It was found that 31% of rainfall was lost through runoff in plots without stone lines. The ef®ciency of stone lines in
checking runoff and in improving soil water storage increased with reduced stone line spacing (runoff was reduced by an
average of 5% on plots where the space between the lines was 33 m, but was reduced by 23% when the stone line spacing was
25 m). Soil water content decreased with increasing distance from the stone line. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)
performance was greatly affected by stone line and plant straw and grain yield were doubled in plots with stone lines
compared with those of plots without stone lines. At an area of about 6 m from the stone lines (upslope), where organomineral sediments were collected, sorghum grain yields were 60% greater than that obtained at 19 m from stone lines. The
stone line technique seems to be a sound option to mitigate water stress during dry spells. # 2000 Published by Elsevier
Science B.V.
Keywords: Runoff; Stone lines spacing; Water conservation; Sorghum; Sahel
1. Introduction
Erratic rainfall and loss of water through runoff are
major agriculture problems in the Sahel (Mando,
1997). The loss through runoff is caused by the
high intensity of the rainfall, the low organic matter
*
Corresponding author. Tel.: 226-34-02-70;
fax: 226-34-02-71.
E-mail address: robert.zougmore@messrs.gov.bf (R. ZougmoreÂ).
content of the soils and the extent of soils with surface crusts and seals (Roose, 1981). In the Sahelian
zone, the combined effects of climatic conditions, soil
quality and human activities have resulted in soil
degradation, due to crusting, sealing, erosion by
water and wind (Casenave and Valentin, 1989;
ZougmoreÂ, 1991; Mando et al., 1999) and the loss
of nutrients through erosion and runoff (Roose, 1981;
Stroosnijder and Hoogmoed, 1984). Because of
the degradation phenomenon, crop production and
0167-1987/00/$ ± see front matter # 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.
PII: S 0 1 6 7 - 1 9 8 7 ( 0 0 ) 0 0 1 3 7 - 9
176
R. Zougmore et al. / Soil & Tillage Research 56 (2000) 175±183
animal production are at risk (Mando and Stroosnijder, 1999).
To solve the degradation problem, farmers have
developed a range of measures, including runoff
control, soil structure improvement, and nutrient
management (Delwaulle, 1973; Mando et al., 2000).
Soil and water conservation extensionists have put
emphasis on the implementation of the stone line
technique to check runoff and to control erosion
(Rochette, 1989; Mando et al., 2000). On-farm
research has shown that stone lines are ef®cient in
increasing soil water status and in reducing soil erosion and downward particle transport (LamacheÁre and
SerpantieÂ, 1991; Van Duijn et al., 1994). Empirical
models using slope data as input were used to design
stone line structures (Guillobez, 1990; Roose, 1994)
and linear programming was used to study the socioeconomic bene®ts of stone lines (Maatman et al.,
1998). However, few data on the role of the spacing
between stone lines on the ef®cacy of the stone line
technique are available.
The aim of this study was to establish the effect of
the space between stone lines on runoff, on soil water
content and on crop performance. This is a prerequisite for the use of stone lines for crop production and
environmental protection.
2. Material and methods
2.1. Environmental setting and experimental design
The experiment was conducted in Kirsi village,
which is at about 150 km northwest of Ouagadougou
(13830 N and 18540 W). The average slope was about
0.8% and the major soil type, which covers 70% of the
country was a Ferric lixisol (FAO, 1976; FAO±
UNESCO, 1989). The usual depth of the soil equalled
or exceeded 60 cm and plinthite sometimes occurred
at the 60 cm depth. The topsoil was sandy-loamy
(470 g kgÿ1 sand, 280 g kgÿ1 silt, and 200 g kgÿ1
clay). Soil structure was moderately developed and
pH (H2O) was