Abstract
Designing innovative combinations of techniques to improve the sustainability of cropping systems in poor countries is a major challenge. Here, we developed a prototyping methodology to design, assess and adapt a crop management system for a specific set of constraints. It was applied in Mali with the aim of designing innovative prototypes of cotton management systems to be further tested and adapted by farmers. The prototype aimed at shortening the cotton cycle to overlap the rainy season. The prototype is particularly suited for late sowing and for regions where rainfall is often insufficient. We propose a conceptual model that organizes technical interventions to shorten the cotton cycle. We developed a set of indicators to evaluate the relevance of each modified technical intervention, by comparison with current farmer practices. We evaluated the overall performances of the prototype by taking into account economic, environmental and social factors. The prototype was tested and adjusted in six trials between 2002 and 2004. Our results show that the cotton growth cycle was reduced by 15 days on average, mainly through the shortening of the flowering period. The combination of much higher stand density than currently applied in the region and application of the growth regulator mepiquat chloride produced a much higher number of bolls per hectare of +69%. The prototype produced higher seed-cotton yields, of +44% on average, and much higher gross margin than the standard cotton management system. The method was therefore successful in designing a new cotton management system that helps farmers to adapt to diverse cropping conditions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barrabé A. (2004) Mise en place d’une règle de décision pour l’application d’un régulateur de croissance, le chlorure de mépiquat, sur culture cotonnière au Mali, M.Sc. thesis, ENSAM, Montpellier, 38 p.
Barrabé A., Rapidel B., Sissoko F., Traoré B.S., Wery J. (2007) Elaboration and test of a decision rule for the application of mepiquat chloride on cotton in Mali, Eur. J. Agron. 27, 197–204.
Blazy J.-M., Dorel M., Salmon F., Ozier-Lafontaine H., Wery J., Tixier P. (2009a) Model-based assessment of technological innovation in banana cropping systems contextualized by farm types in Guadeloupe, Eur. J. Agron., in press.
Blazy J.-M., Ozier-Lafontaine H., Doré T., Thomas A., Wery J. (2009b) A methodological framework for taking into account the diversity of farms in the prototyping of sustainable crop management systems. Application to banana-based systems in Guadeloupe, Agric. Syst., in press.
Bourland F.M., Benson N.R., Vories E.D., Tugwell N.P., Danforth D.M. (2001) Measuring maturity of cotton using nodes above white flower, J. Cotton Sci. 5, 1–8.
Braud M. (1987) La fertilisation d’un système de culture dans les zones cotonnières soudanosahéliennes, Coton Fibres Trop. 42, 7–35.
Buxton D.R., Patterson L.L., Briggs R.E. (1979) Fruiting pattern in narrow-row cotton, Crop Sci. 19, 17–22.
CMDT (2001) Note sur l’utilisation des engrais chimiques en zone CMDT, Campagne 2001/2002, CMDT, DTDR, LRD, Bamako, Mali.
Deguine J.P., Ferron P., Russell D. (2008) Sustainable pest management for cotton production. A review, Agron. Sustain. Dev. 28, 113–137.
Devèze J.C., Halley des Fontaines D. (2005) Le devenir des agricultures cotonnières; Cas du Mali, AFD, Paris.
Dogliotti S., Rossing, W.A.H., van Ittersum M.K. (2003) ROTAT, a tool for systematically generating crop rotations, Eur. J. Agron. 19, 239–250.
Dogliotti S., Rossing W.A.H., van Ittersum M.K. (2004) Systematic design and evaluation of crop rotations enhancing soil conservation, soil fertility and farm income: a case study for vegetable farms in South Uruguay, Agric. Syst. 80, 277–302.
Fok M.A.C., Djouara H., Koné M., Ballo D. (1999) Diversité des pratiques paysannes en zones cotonnières du Mali; portée et limites des gestions d’itinéraires techniques observés, in: Deguine J.-P., Fok M., Gaborel C. (Eds.), Rôle et place de la recherche pour le développement des filières cotonnières en évolution en Afrique, CIRAD, Montpellier, p. 238.
Hearn A.B. (1994) OZCOT: a simulation model for Cotton crop management, Agric. Syst. 44, 257–299.
IER/CMDT/OHVN (1998) Mémoire de réunion de concertation sur la baisse de rendement de la variété NTA 88-6 au cours de la campagne 97/98, Institut d’Économie Rurale, N’Tarla, Mali.
Issa M.Y. (2004) Contribution à l’étude de l’impact de l’utilisation des pesticides sur la faune terrestre et aquatique: cas des grands mammifères et de quelques espèces de poissons dans les réserves de biosphère de la Pendjari et du W. Msc. Thesis, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, 109 p.
Jones M.A., Wells R. (1997) Dry matter allocation and fruiting patterns of cotton grown at two divergent plant populations, Crop Sci. 37, 797–802.
Lançon J., Wery J., Rapidel B., Angokaye M., Gérardeaux E., Gaborel C., Ballo D., Fadegnon B. (2007) An improved methodology for integrated crop management systems, Agron. Sustain. Dev. 27, 101–110.
Marnotte P. (1984) Influence des facteurs agroécologiques sur le développement des mauvaises herbes en climat tropical humide, 7e Coll. Int. sur Biol., Ecol. et Syst. des Mauvaises Herbes, Paris, pp. 183–190.
Ranney C.D., Cauquil J. (1968) Méthodes employées aux États-Unis pour établir et conserver au champ une bonne densité de levée, Coton Fibres Trop. 23, 191–200.
Rapidel B., Defèche C., Traoré B., Lançon J., Wery J. (2006) In field development of a conceptual model for crop functioning and management: a case study on Cotton in Southern Mali, Eur. J. Agron. 24, 304–315.
Scopel E., Da Silva F.A.M., Corbeels M., Affholder F., Maraux F. (2004) Modelling crop residue mulching effects on water use and production of maize under semi-arid and humid tropical conditions, Agronomie 24, 383–395.
Sekloka E., Lançon J., Gozé E., Hau B., Lewicki S., Thomas G. (2007) Breeding new cotton varieties to fit the diversity of cropping conditions in Africa-Effect of plant architecture, earliness and effective flowering time on late-planted cotton productivity, Exp. Agr. 44, 197–207.
SSE/CMDT (2002) Enquête spécifique sur les Coûts de Production du Coton, Analyse des résultats, CMDT, Service Suivi Évaluation, Bamako.
Sterk B., van Ittersum M.K., Leeuwis C., Wijnands F.G. (2007) Prototyping and farm system modelling—Partners on the road towards more sustainable farm systems? Eur. J. Agron. 26, 401–409.
Traoré B.S., Rapidel B., Sissoko F., Doucouré C.T. (2006) Évolution des techniques culturales en zone cotonnière du Mali entre 1994 et 2002, Cah. Econom. Rur. 2, 21–28.
Turini T. (2005) Adaptation en milieu paysan d’un prototype d’itinéraire technique. Cas de la culture cotonnière en condition de forte contrainte hydrique, M.Sc. thesis, ENSAM, Montpellier, 86 p.
van der Pol F. (1992) Soil mining, an unseen contributor to farm income in southern Mali, Royal Tropical Institute, Bulletin 325, Amsterdam.
van Keulen H. (2007) Quantitative analyses of natural resource management options at different scales, Agric. Syst. 94, 768–783.
Vereijken P. (1997) A methodical way of prototyping integrated and ecological arable farming systems (I/EAFS) in interaction with pilot farms, Eur. J. Agron. 7, 235–250.
Yehouessi M. (1984) Résultats de trois années d’expérimentation sur la désinfection des semences de cotonnier à la station de Bebedjia, Coton Fibres Trop. 39, 95–97.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Rapidel, B., Traoré, B.S., Sissoko, F. et al. Experiment-based prototyping to design and assess cotton management systems in West Africa. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 29, 545–556 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1051/agro/2009016
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/agro/2009016