Residual Effect of Laying Hen Manure on the Growth and Yield of Pearl Millet in the Sudano-Sahelian Zone of Burkina Faso

Abstract

Background: Pearl millet is a key staple crop in Burkina Faso, vital for food security and livestock feed, but its productivity is limited by declining soil fertility and low use of expensive mineral fertilizers. Poultry manure, rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, is emerging as a sustainable organic alternative to improve soil fertility and boost millet yields. Aims: The present study aims to evaluate the residual effect of laying hen manure (LHM) on the growth, development, and yield of pearl millet, in order to better understand its role in promoting sustainable production systems. Study Design:  A field experiment was conducted using a Fisher’s randomized block design, consisting of five (05) treatments, each replicated three (03) times. Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was carried out at the experimental station of the Rural Development Institute in Gampela, Burkina Faso during the rainy season of the 2022/2023 (June to November 2023) cropping year. Methodology: The study evaluated the residual effects of previously applied fertilizers during the 2021/2022 season. In 2022/2023, no fertilizer was applied. Treatments included T0 (control), T1 (100 kg ha⁻¹ NPK + 50 kg ha⁻¹ urea), T2 (2.5 t ha⁻¹ LHM), T3 (5 t ha⁻¹ LHM), and T4 (7.5 t ha⁻¹ LHM). Growth parameters, yield components, and yields were measured and analyzed. Results: The results showed that the residual effects of LHM significantly enhanced plant height, collar diameter, tiller number, fertile tillers, panicle length and diameter, as well as grain and straw yields. In contrast, the residual effect of mineral fertilization (NPK + urea) did not significantly influence these parameters. Among the treatments, LHM at 5 and 7.5 t ha⁻¹ produced the highest grain yields, reaching 3290.71 and 3528.63 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the strategic use of LHM, even at alternating intervals, represents an effective approach to optimizing pearl millet yield while improving soil fertility in low-input agricultural systems. In particular, laying hen manure applied at 5 t ha-1 could serve as a sustainable soil fertility management strategy for enhancing pearl millet productivity while supporting long-term soil health in the Sudano-Sahelian zone.