Production de biomasse de Brachiaria ruziziensis (Germain et Evrard) en vue de la mise en place de systèmes de culture sous couvertures végétales dans la zone cotonnière du Cameroun.

Direct seeding mulch-based cropping systems that have been recently introduced in Northern Cameroon recommend sowing cover crops in the first year of rotations which are followed by subsequent crops of interest. The objective of this study was to evaluate the seeding year biomass production of Brachiaria ruziziensis in the cotton producing zone of Cameroon, under recommended organic and mineral fertilizer rates. Biomass production of B. ruziziensis was significantly different among the experimental sites. The highest dry matter yield was recorded in Touboro (20.2 t DM ha-1), followed by Guiring (11.7 t DM ha-1) and Djalingo (8.6 t DM ha-1), stations located to the South, North and Centre of the cotton production zone, respectively. These biomasses are enough for the implementation of direct seeding mulch-based cropping systems. The differences observed among sites suggest their evaluation for biomass production before the use of such systems. Though common to all grasses, the present fertilizer recommendations should be maintained but further work is needed for the determination of optimal fertilizer recommendations using a more extended nutrient scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]