Agronomie Africaine article Correlates Farming Practices and Yield

According to a 2017 article by Bagayoko et al in Agronomie Africaine, an exploratory study was conducted from 2008 to 2011 in the Office du Niger to determine the feasibility of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) cultural practice. The experiments consisted of 3 treatments: farmer practice (T1) ; SRI (T2) with 5 tons of manure and the recommended rate of mineral fertilizer and SRI with 5 tons of manure and half of the recommended dose of mineral fertilizer (T3). A total of 40 farmers were involved in the three year evaluation, in which large spatial and temporal variabilities were observed. Yields varied between 4.5 and 10 t /ha and more for SRI and between 3 and 8t t / ha for the conventional practice. There was a significant correlation between farming practices and yields, and between yields and soil factors (especially N and P). More than 60% of the variations in performance were due to the control of cultural practices and water management in both systems (conventional method and SRI). Because of large spatial variability of yields, it was concluded that the SRI can lead to low yields if proper cultural practices are not followed.