Résumé
Several trends indicate an increasing in average temperature at the world scale. If climate impacts plant and animal phenology, the consequences of such rapid climatic change on plant adaptation have rarely been investigated. Sahelian countries have experience a significant climatic shift to drier climate in the last 30 years. However, it is yet unclear if plant rapidly adapted to such climatic shift. One of the major cereal crops in Sahelian country is pearl millet. Pearl millet contributed to food security in the whole Sahelian region and cover more than 60% of the cultivated area in Niger. In this study, we analyzed samples collected in the exact same village across Niger in 1976 and 2003. Comparison of morphological traits in a common garden experiment shows a significant shift in adaptative traits: shorter cycle, reduction in plant and ear size. However, not noticeable change in term of gene diversity is observed. These results suggest a rapid adaptation of crops to climate change. This adaptation may mitigate climatic change impact; however such adaptation will also limit yield potential locally. (Texte intégral)