Abstract
Abstract Little is known about the impact of long‐term fertilizer microdose on pearl millet [ Cenchrus americanus (L.) Morrone] yields and yield stability in the Sahel. An 8‐yr, long‐term experiment evaluated pearl millet yields and yield stability under fertilizer microdose along with crop residues (CRs) management in different plant spacings. Treatments included (a) one absolute control (without fertilizer) and two fertilizer microdose options, (b) 2 g diammonium phosphate fertilizer per planting hole, and (c) 6 g of 15–15–15 (N–P–K) fertilizer per planting hole—under two plant spacings (10,000 and 15,000 pockets ha –1 ) and with and without CR removal. These were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. A decrease in pearl millet plant spacing (15,000 pockets ha –1 ) markedly enhanced pearl millet grain yield and total dry matter by 12 and 11%, respectively, vs. the recommended plant spacing (10,000 pockets ha –1 ). The mean pearl millet grain yields over 8 yr were 470 and 262 kg ha –1 in fertilizer microdose and control plots, respectively. The pearl millet yields increased by 7 and 81% with CR retention in microdose and control plots, respectively, vs. plots with CR removal. Grain yields reductions of 16 and 38% were recorded in fertilizer microdose and control plots, respectively, after 8 yr regardless of CR retention. Fertilizer microdose without CR removal was more stable. However, a considerable decrease in soil N status was observed after 8 yr. These results suggest that fertilizer microdose in combination with CR retention should be used as a base practice for increasing yield in the low‐input, pearl millet‐based cropping system of the Sahel and similar cropping systems.
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Claims 10
Claim · model-written summary
Closer spacing raised pearl millet grain yield by 12%.
- Taxon
- pearl millet
Cenchrus americanuse0 - Treatment
- 15,000 pockets ha –1e0
- Outcome
- pearl millet grain yielde0
- Direction
- enhancede0
- Value
- 12e0
- Comparator
- 10,000 pockets ha –1e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“A decrease in pearl millet plant spacing (15,000 pockets ha –1 ) markedly enhanced pearl millet grain yield and total dry matter by 12 and 11%, respectively, vs. the recommended plant spacing (10,000 pockets ha –1 )”
Claim · model-written summary
Closer spacing raised total dry matter by 11%.
- Taxon
- pearl millet
Cenchrus americanuse0 - Treatment
- 15,000 pockets ha –1e0
- Outcome
- total dry mattere0
- Direction
- enhancede0
- Value
- 11%e0
- Comparator
- 10,000 pockets ha –1e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“A decrease in pearl millet plant spacing (15,000 pockets ha –1 ) markedly enhanced pearl millet grain yield and total dry matter by 12 and 11%, respectively, vs. the recommended plant spacing (10,000 pockets ha –1 )”
Claim · model-written summary
Mean grain yield over eight years was 470 kg ha –1 under fertilizer microdose versus 262 kg ha –1 in control plots.
- Taxon
- pearl millet
Cenchrus americanuse0 - Treatment
- fertilizer microdosee0
- Outcome
- pearl millet grain yieldse0
- Direction
- higherinferrede0
- Value
- 470e0
- Qualifier
- 262 kg ha –1e0
- Comparator
- control plotse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“The mean pearl millet grain yields over 8 yr were 470 and 262 kg ha –1 in fertilizer microdose and control plots, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Crop residue retention increased yields by 7% in microdose plots.
- Taxon
- pearl millet
Cenchrus americanuse0 - Treatment
- CR retentione0
- Outcome
- pearl millet yieldse0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 7e0
- Qualifier
- microdosee0
- Comparator
- CR removale0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“The pearl millet yields increased by 7 and 81% with CR retention in microdose and control plots, respectively, vs. plots with CR removal”
Claim · model-written summary
Crop residue retention increased yields by 81% in control plots.
- Taxon
- pearl millet
Cenchrus americanuse0 - Treatment
- CR retentione0
- Outcome
- pearl millet yieldse0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 81%e0
- Qualifier
- control plotse0
- Comparator
- CR removale0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“The pearl millet yields increased by 7 and 81% with CR retention in microdose and control plots, respectively, vs. plots with CR removal”
Claim · model-written summary
Grain yield fell 16% after eight years in microdose plots.
- Taxon
- Pearl millet
Cenchrus americanust0 - Outcome
- Grain yieldse0
- Direction
- reductionse0
- Value
- 16e0
- Qualifier
- fertilizer microdosee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
t0“Pearl millet”
e0“Grain yields reductions of 16 and 38% were recorded in fertilizer microdose and control plots, respectively, after 8 yr regardless of CR retention”
Claim · model-written summary
Grain yield fell 38% after eight years in control plots.
- Taxon
- Pearl millet
Cenchrus americanust0 - Outcome
- Grain yieldse0
- Direction
- reductionse0
- Value
- 38%e0
- Qualifier
- control plotse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
t0“Pearl millet”
e0“Grain yields reductions of 16 and 38% were recorded in fertilizer microdose and control plots, respectively, after 8 yr regardless of CR retention”
Claim · model-written summary
Microdose without crop residue removal had more stable yield.
- Taxon
- Pearl millet
Cenchrus americanust0 - Treatment
- Fertilizer microdose without CR removale0
- Outcome
- stablee0
- Direction
- more stablee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
t0“Pearl millet”
e0“Fertilizer microdose without CR removal was more stable”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil nitrogen status decreased after eight years.
- Taxon
- Pearl millet
Cenchrus americanust0 - Outcome
- soil N statuse0
- Direction
- decreasee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
t0“Pearl millet”
e0“a considerable decrease in soil N status was observed after 8 yr”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend fertilizer microdose with crop residue retention as a base practice to increase yield.
- Taxon
- pearl millet
Cenchrus americanuse0 - Outcome
- fertilizer microdose in combination with CR retention should be used as a base practicee0
- Setting
- Sahele0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“fertilizer microdose in combination with CR retention should be used as a base practice for increasing yield in the low‐input, pearl millet‐based cropping system of the Sahel”
The same questions in other papers
fertilization · yield · Cenchrus americanus (pearl millet)Positive and negative results
248 papers in the same direction as this paper · 9 in the opposite direction · 1 reporting no difference from an alternative
- positive
- positive
- positive
255 papers more in this group
See all 259 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.