EFFECT OF A JATROPHA CURCAS-BASED AGROFORESTRY SYSTEM ON PERFORMANCE OF ASSOCIATED CROPS IN SEMI-ARID ZONE, SENEGAL

Agroforestry systems based on Jatropha curcas are recommended as a potential solution for ensuring food insecurity, providing biofuel and buffering energy deficit that compromises socio economic development of Sahelian countries. In order to evaluate the influence of such systems on crop performance, a study was carried out over 3 years (2013-2015) in Ngouye village in the semi-arid zone (650-800 mm) in Senegal. The experimental design was randomized complete blocks with 3 replications and 4 treatments including two agroforestry systems with Jatropha curcas spacing of 4 mx 3 m (J4) and 6 mx 3 m (J6), millet monoculture (MM) groundnut monoculture (GM) and Jatropha curcas monoculture (JM). Measurements concerned morphological variables and crop yields. The results showed that Jatropha curcas intercropped with food crops showed a significant depressive effect on the morphological parameters of Jatropha curcas only during the early stages of growth (1-4 months). The presence of 1- to 2-year-old Jatropha curcas plants showed no significant effect on millet (first year of cultivation) and groundnut (second year of cultivation), respectively. However, 3-year-old plants showed a significant effect on the growth and yield of millet.