Optimization of Mineral Fertilization of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) under Late Sowing Conditions in the Countries of the Regional Program for Integrated Cotton Production in Africa (PR-PICA)
Abstract
Late sowing of cotton is an increasing constraint in West and Central African countries due to irregular rainfall, which reduces the length of the growing cycle and limits the effectiveness of mineral fertilization. This study aimed to determine the most efficient and cost-effective mineral fertilization strategy for cotton cultivation under late-sowing conditions in the countries of the Regional Integrated Cotton Production Program in Africa (PR-PICA). Trials were conducted during the 2023 and 2024 cropping seasons at ten experimental sites in Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Senegal using a randomized complete block design with four replications. Four treatments were compared including a control with no fertilization (0% FMR), the recommended dose (100% FMR: 200 kg ha⁻¹ of NPKSB + 50 kg ha⁻¹ of urea), 75%, and 50% of this dose. Agro-morphological parameters, yield components, seed cotton yield, and the benefit/cost ratio were evaluated. The results show that application of mineral fertilization significantly improves plant growth, the number of bolls per hectare, and seed cotton yield compared to the unfertilized control. However, no significant difference was observed between doses of 100%, 75%, and 50% of the recommended mineral fertilizer for seed cotton yield. Country and year effects were significant for most of the variables studied, reflecting the influence of soil and climate conditions on crop performance. The economic analysis indicates that 50% of the recommended mineral fertilizer dose offers the best economic efficiency by reducing the fertilization costs with no significant effect on seed cotton yield. These results show that under late sowing conditions, applying 50% of the recommended mineral fertilizer is an agronomically effective and economically advantageous strategy. This mineral fertilization dose represents a relevant option to improve the profitability of cotton cultivation while limiting input costs under late sowing conditions in PR-PICA member countries.
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Introduction
Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivation is one of the main drivers of agricultural and economic development in the member countries of the Regional Integrated Cotton Production Program in Africa (PR-PICA), namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Senegal, Chad, and Togo. This sector represents a vital source of income for millions of producers, contributes to the supply of textile industries, and makes a significant contribution to these countries' export earnings (FAO, 2022; Renaudin, 2010). However, the sustainability of cotton production is currently facing several major constraints, including the progressive decline in soil fertility and the increasing effects of climate variability, resulting in an irregular rainy season, erratic rainfall distribution, and an increased frequency of droughts (PR-PICA, 2024; Traoré et al., 2021; Ndour et al., 2018).
The most significant consequence of this climate variability is the increased frequency of late sowing of cotton. In rainfed cotton production systems, the delayed onset of rainfall forces farmers to postpone sowing, thus reducing the effective duration of the crop cycle. This shortening of the cycle exposes the sensitive flowering, fruiting, and boll-filling phases to less favorable water availability and high temperatures at the end of the season, which generally leads to reduced vegetative growth, boll production, and seed cotton yield (Amonmidé et al., 2020; Sêkloka et al., 2015).
Conclusion
This study evaluated the agronomic and economic performance of different doses of mineral fertilizer applied to cotton under late-sowing conditions in several PR-PICA member countries. The results show that fertilization significantly improves plant growth, boll production, and seed cotton yield compared to the unfertilized control. However, no significant difference was observed between doses corresponding to 100%, 75%, and 50% of the recommended mineral fertilizer for the main production parameters.
Economic analysis shows that the half-dose of mineral fertilizer recommended (50% of the recommended mineral content) represents the best compromise between productivity and profitability. This strategy allows for maintaining a yield comparable to that obtained with the full dose while reducing input costs, thus improving the benefit/cost ratio. These results suggest that, under late sowing conditions, current fertilization recommendations could be adapted to better account for the reduced growing cycle length and the actual crop requirements. Adopting this strategy would help improve the profitability of cotton farms and optimize fertilizer use in PR-PICA member countries.
Further work conducted over a greater number of years, in contrasting environments and with different cotton genotypes will confirm the robustness of these results and refine fertilization recommendations adapted to late sowing conditions.
References
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