@article{fdi:010086756,
  title = {{H}igher sowing density of pearl millet increases productivity and water use efficiency in high evaporative demand seasons},
  author = {{P}illoni, {R}aphael and {F}aye, {A}. and {K}akkera, {A}. and {K}holova, {J}. and {B}adji, {R}. and {F}aye, {C}. and {V}adez, {V}incent},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{I}ntroduction{P}earlmillet is themain subsistence crop for smallholder farmers systemswhere it is grown at low plant density. {I}ntensifying pearl millet cultivation could boost productivity although it may have trade-offs. {I}ncreasing planting density would indeed increase the leaf area and the related water budget, whereas a denser canopy could create a more favorable canopymicroclimate to the benefit of the water use efficiency ({WUE}) of the crops. {T}he first aim of this work was to test the yield response of popular pearlmillet varieties to an increased density and to assess possible genotypic variation in this response. {T}he second aim was to measure the water use and the {WUE} of the crop in different densities. {M}ethod{T}o this end we designed several field and lysimetric experiments {T}o increase the robustness of the results, these trials were carried out in {I}ndia and {S}enegal, using two independent sets of genotypes adapted to both sites. {R}esults{I}n the field, the higher sowing density significantly increased yield in all genotypes when trials were carried out in high evaporative demand conditions. {T}here was no genotype x density interaction in these trials, suggesting no genotypic variation in the response to density increase. {T}he high-density treatment also decreased the vapor pressure deficit ({VPD}) in the canopies, both in the field and in the lysimeter experiments. {I}n the lysimeter trials, although the higher density treatment increased water use, the resulting increase in biomass was proportionally higher, hence increasing{WUE} of the crops in all genotypes under high density. {T}he increase in yield under high density was closely related to the increase in {WUE}, although this link was more tight in the high- than in the low evaporative demand seasons. {T}his confirmed a strong environmental effect on the response to density of all genotypes tested. {D}iscussion{A}lthough they did not open a scope for breeding density tolerant cultivars, these results highlight the possibility to improve pearl millet yield by increasing the density, targeting specifically areas facing high evaporative demand.},
  keywords = {climate change ; sustainable intensification ; canopy architecture ; semi-arid tropics ; vapor pressure deficit ; {INDE} ; {SENEGAL} ; {ZONE} {TROPICALE} ; {ZONE} {SEMIARIDE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{F}rontiers in {P}lant {S}cience},
  volume = {13},
  numero = {},
  pages = {1035181 [12 p.]},
  ISSN = {1664-462{X}},
  year = {2022},
  DOI = {10.3389/fpls.2022.1035181},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010086756},
}