Assessing the effect of tillage and fertilization on the accumulation of minerals in pearl millet stover

Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] constitutes the third most important cultivated cereal and source of nutrients in Burkina Faso. The study carried out in 2018 and 2019 at the Saria Environment and Agricultural Researches Station aimed to assess the effects of tillage and organo-mineral fertilization on the quantities of minerals accumulated in pearl millet stover that could be used in animal diets as nutritional supplements. The experimental design was a completely randomized block with a split-plot arrangement of treatments, three replications with four tillage methods assigned to main plots and eight organo-mineral fertilizations to subplots. Results showed that the quantities of minerals accumulated in pearl millet stover were affected by tillage methods and organo-mineral fertilizations as well as by their interactive effects. Compost associated with mineral fertilizers resulted in higher accumulations of minerals in pearl millet stover. In terms of tillage methods, the results indicated that ploughing and scarifying were more favorable for greater but not varying mineral accumulations compared to manual zaï and tie-ridging