Intercropping with two native woody shrubs improves water status and development of interplanted groundnut and pearl millet in the Sahel

This study examines how the traditional practice of intercropping with deep-rooted native shrubs in the West African Sahel can serve as natural pumps to transfer water from deep, moist soil layers to shallow-rooted food crops growing nearby during extreme drought.

The research shows that intercropping with native woody shrubs significantly improves the water status and development of groundnut and pearl millet crops, providing important insights for climate adaptation strategies in dryland agriculture.