An Investigation into the Effects of Organic Amendments in a Saline Environment on Soil Chemical Characteristics, Growth, and Yield of Rice in the South of Senegal

Context of the Study: The use of organic amendments could help increase the resilience of lowland rice in Lower Casamance to salinity. The aim of this study was to test the effect of different organic amendments (biochar and compost) on the salinity tolerance of lowland rice in Basse Casamance.

Objective: The aim was to test the effect of different organic amendments on the salinity tolerance of rice in the lowlands of the villages of Selecky and Essyl in Lower Casamance.

Methodology: A split-plot design was adopted with two factors: the type of organic amendment with 4 treatments (biochar, compost, compost + biochar and the control) and salinity with two treatments (salted and unsalted zones). These treatments were repeated 3 times in two consecutive years, 2020 and 2021, at the Selecky and Essyl sites. Physico-chemical characteristics as well as rice growth and production parameters were studied.

Results: In the saline zone, soil amendments significantly increased the number of tillers and the height of rice plants compared with controls (p<0.05). Average rice yield and plant biomass were significantly higher in the amended plots at Selecky in both experimental years (p<0.05). At Essyl, on the other hand, height, number of tillers, rice yield and plant biomass were lower in the 2nd year of experimentation. Organic amendments had a significant effect (p<0.05) on rice production and yield parameters in the salt zone.