Effect of liming and carbofuran on groundnut yield in sandy soils in Niger

One of the constraints to groundnut production in sandy soils of Niger is crop growth variability. In early 1989, a trial on the effect of lime and carbofuran on soil pH, Al toxicity, nematode population and groundnut yield was initiated to study crop growth variability. Groundnut was sown in the 1989 rainy season, followed by pearl millet (Pennisatum glaucum) in the 1989–90 dry season and again groundnut in the 1990–91 rainy, and dry seasons. In 1989 the carbofuran treatment increased the pod yield. Lime application did not change the pH and exchangeable Al+++ contents in the soil and did not increase groundnut yield. In the 1990–91 rainy and dry season, however, the application of 10 t ha–1 of lime increased pH, decreased exchangeable Al+++, improved crop growth and increased the yield of groundnut to the same level as was achieved by the carbofuran treatment. Application of lime did not affect the nematode population, which were reduced by the carbofuran