 | Abstract 68Millet based cropping systems with forage legumes for improving nutritive value of crop residues in the Sahelian zone.Renard,-C; Garba,-M International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Niamey, Niger. Proceedings of the XVI International Grassland Congress, 4-11 October 1989, Nice, France. 1989, 837-838; 7 ref. Versailles, France; Association Francaise pour la Production Fourragere. In the Sahel the poor nutritive value of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) [P. americanum] stalks barely sustains the livestock at the best of times. This can lead to disaster in drought years. Pearl millet was sown in mixture with (a) Vigna unguiculata, (b) Stylosanthes hamata or (c) Sesbania pachycarpa in mid-July and harvested in early Oct. The legumes were cut for hay at end-Oct. Av. pearl millet crop residue yield was 1.35 t/ha. Legume hay yields were (a) 0.16, (b) 0.46 (in 1986) and 2.06 (in 1987), (c) 0.88 t/ha. Legume N content was 2.33-3.48% of DM for all species. S. hamata contained less P (0.22%) than the other legumes (0.35%). It was calculated that 0.25 t of (a) or (c) or 0.43 t of (b) would need to be added to 1 t of pearl millet stalks to provide adequately nutritious feed. This abstract relates to the following species:
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