The influence of increased plant densities and nitrogen fertilizer levels on forage yield, seed yield and qualitative characteristics of forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench)
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Published:
Jan 21, 2021
Keywords:
Plant population fertilizer protein percentage ash percentage
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Abstract
Nitrogen fertilization is a major agronomic practice that affects the yield and quality of crop. A combined split-plot factorial design based on randomized completely block design (RCBD) with four replications was used to determine the influence of plant density and nitrogen fertilizer on forage and seed yield of sorghum. The main plots were years, namely 2009 and 2010. The subplots were 250,000, 300,000, 350,000 and 400,000 plants/ha, and sub-subplots were four levels of nitrogen fertilizers, namely 0, 80, 160 and 240 kg N/ha. The results obtained from statistical analysis showed that the higher stem diameter and dry forage yield were obtained for 2010 than 2009. The maximum plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf area index (LAI), fresh forage yield and dry forage yield was achieved in 400,000 plants/ha. At 250,000 plants/ha, the highest number of seeds per panicle (2,484), a thousand seed weight (7.72 g) and seed yield (5.58 t/ha) were obtained. There is no difference in prussic acid among treatments. The highest protein and ash percentages of the first cut were related to 350,000 (11.19%) and 250,000 plants/ha (12.16%), respectively. There were not any significant differences in terms of plant height, number of tillers per plant, stem diameter, prussic acid and ash percentage between the levels of nitrogen fertilizers. The highest fresh forage yield and dry forage yield was achieved in 240 kg N/ha and 160 kg N/ha, respectively. An adequate supply of N to crops is fundamental to optimize crop yields and crop production. The higher a thousand seed weight and seed yield obtained for 160 kg N/ ha than those of other treatments, which were 8.04 g and 7.18 t/ha. Grain yield is probably the most important characteristic on which to base nitrogen fertilizer application and selection of appropriate plant density. Moreover, the application rate of 160 kg N/ha had obtained the highest amount of protein percentage of the first cut (11.17%). With appropriate usage of nitrogen fertilizer and improving grain yield accompanied with qualitative traits, sustainability in sorghum production will appear.
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References
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Asghari, E., K. Razmjoo and M. Mazaheri Tehrani. 2006. Effect of nitrogen rates on yield, yield components and grain protein of grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). J. Agric. Sci. Nat. Res. 13: 30–39.
Ayub, M., A. Tanveer, A.M. Nader and M. Tayyu. 2003. Fodder yield and quality of sorghum as influenced by different tillage methods and seed rates. Pak. J. Agron. 2(3): 179–184.
Bahrani, M.J. and A.D. Ghenateghestani. 2004. Summer forage yield, protein and prussic acid contents as affected by plant density and nitrogen topdressing. J. Agric. Sci. Tech. 6(1): 73–83.
Balasubramanian, A. and K. Ramamoorthy. 1996. Effect of plant geometry, nitrogen levels and time of harvest on the productivity of sweet sorghum. Madras Agric. J. 83(7): 462–463.
Baradaran, R., H. Javadi and Gh.R. Mousavi. 2007. Effect of plant density on yield and yield components of grain sorghum cultivars in Birjand climate. J. Agric. Sci. 12: 31–38.
Becquer, C.J., J.A. Napoles, N.F. Fajardo, L.A. Palmero, U. Avila, O. Alvarez, Y. Ramos, M. Quintana, Y. Galdo and S. Vega. 2012. Effect of the inoculation with Bradyrhizobium sp. and nitrogen fertilization on two grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) varieties. Pastos y Forrajes 35(1): 67–78.
Berenguer, M.J. and J.M. Faci. 2001. Sorghum (Sorghum Bicolor L. Moench) yield compensation processes under different plant densities and variable water supply. Eur. J. Agron. 15: 43–55.
Beyaert, R.P. and R.C. Roy. 2005. Influence of nitrogen fertilization on multi–cut forage sorghum– sudangrass yield and nitrogen use. Agron. J. 97: 1493–1501.
Broumand, P., A. Rezaei, A. Soleymani, M.H. Shahrajabian and A. Noory. 2010. Influence of forage clipping and top dressing of nitrogen fertilizer on grain yield of cereal crops in dual purpose cultivation system. Res. Crop. 11(3): 603–613.
Caravetta, G.J., J.H. Cherney and K.D. Johnson. 1990. Within–row spacing influenced diverse sorghum genotypes. II. Dry matter yield and forage quality. Agron. J. 82: 210–215.
Carmi, A., Y. Aharoni, M. Edelstein, N. Umiel, A. Hagiladi, E. Yosef, M. Nikbachat, A. Zenou and J. Miron. 2006. Effects of irrigation and plant density on yield, composition and in vitro digestibility of a new forage sorghum variety, Tal, at two maturity stages. Anim. Feed Sci. Tech. 131: 120–132.
Cho, N.K., Y.K. Kang, C.K. Song, Y.C. Jeun, J.S. Oh, Y.I. Cho and S.J. Park. 2004. Effects of planting density on growth, forage yield and chemical composition of Jeju native sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.). J. Korean Grassl. Sci. 24(3): 225–230.
Cusicanqui, J.A. and J.G. Lauer. 1999. Plant density and hybrid influence on corn forage yield and quality. Agron. J. 91: 911–915.
Defoor, D.J., N.A. Cole, M.L. Galyean and O.R. Jones. 2001. Effect of grain sorghum planting density and processing method on nutrient digestibility and retention by ruminants. J. Anim. Sci. 79: 19–25.
Esfandiary, M., A. Soleymani and M.H. Shahrajabian. 2012. Evaluation of yield and yield components of corn cultivars in different planting methods under semi-arid condition of Iran. J. Food Agric. Environ. 10(2): 664–667.
Fanaei, H.R., J. Valizadeh and H. Akbarimoghadam. 2002. Effect of plant density on yield and yield components of different cultivars of grain sorghum in Sistan region. Seed and Plant 18(3): 283–293.
Glamoclija, D., S. Jankovic, S. Rakic, R. Maletic, J. Ikanovic and Z. Lakic. 2011. Effects of nitrogen and harvesting time on chemical composition of biomass of Sudan grass, fodder sorghum, and their hybrid. Turk. J. Agric. For. 35(2): 127–138.
Gutte, A.V. and P.N. Karanjikar. 2007. Effect of plant densities and fertilizer levels on growth and yield of sweet sorghum. Asian J. Soil Sci. 2(2): 150–152.
Jahanzad, E., M. Jorat, H. Moghadam, A. Sadeghpour, M.R. Chaichi and M. Dashtaki. 2013. Response of a new and a commonly grown forage sorghum cultivar to limited irrigation and planting density. Agric. Water Manag. 117: 62–69.
Jalali, A.H. and M.J. Bahrani. 2001. Quantitative and qualitative characteristics of grain yield sorghum as affected by nitrogen and plant density. J. Sci. Tech. Agric. Nat. Res. 5(3): 117–126.
Jampala, B., W.L. Rooney, G.C. Peterson, S. Bean and D.B. Hays. 2012. Estimating the relative effects of the endosperm traits of waxy and high protein digestibility on yield in grain sorghum. Field Crops Res. 139: 57–62.
Javanmard, H.R., A. Almodares, A. Rezaie and S. Banitaba. 2006. Investigation of the effects of different plant densities on yield and yield components of two grain sorghum in Isfahan. J. Agric. Res. 1(2): 39–50.
Jia, D.H., Z.M. Wang, P. Lin and Y.H. Chen. 2010. Effect of various amount of fertilizer planting and densities on yield and sugar content of New Sweet Sorghum 3. Xinjiang Agric. Sci. 47(1):47–53.
Jothimani, S. 2012. Nitrogen use efficiency and its balance under pear millet and sorghum as influenced by long term manure and fertilizer application in dryland vertisols. Madras Agric. J. 99: 55–61.
Kaizzi, K.C., J. Byalebeka, O. Semalulu, I. Alou, W. Zimwanguyizza, A. Nansamba, P. Musinguzi, P. Ebanyat, T. Hyuha and C.S. Wortmann. 2012. Sorghum response to fertilizer and nitrogen use efficiency in Uganda. Agron. J. 104(1): 83–90.
Kazemi–Arbat, H., F. RahimzadehKhoyi, M. Moghaddam and A. BanaeiKhosraghi. 2000. The effects of different levels of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers and irrigation intervals on biomass yield of forage sorghum, Speedfeed. Iranian J. Agric. Sci. 31(4): 713–723. (In Persian)
Khalili Mahaleh, J., M. Tajbakhsh, A. Fayaz Moghadam and A.A. Siadati. 2007. Effects of plant density on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of forage sorghum in second cropping. Pajouhesh va Sazandegi 20(2): 59–67. (In Persian)
Khoshkharam, M., A. Rezaei, A. Soleymani and M.H. Shahrajabian. 2010. Effects of tillage and residue management on yield components and yield of maize in second cropping after barley. Res. Crop. 1(3): 659–666.
Li, W.X., J.W. Lu, J.M. Lu and X.K. Li. 2011. Effect of inorganic fertilizers on forage yield, accumulation of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in sudangrass (Sorghum sudanense) and ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) cropping system in Central China. Indian J. Agric. Sci. 81(7): 612–615.
Mallikarjun, H., M.D. Kachapur, S.A. Gaddanakeri and P.M. Sobarad. 1997. Performance of sweet sorghum genotypes under different levels of plant population. Cooperative Sugar 28(11): 834–836.
Marsalis, M.A., S.V. Angadi and F.E. Contreras–Govea. 2010. Dry matter yield and nutritive value of corn, forage sorghum, and BMR forage sorghum at different plant populations and nitrogen rates. Field Crops Res. 116: 52–57.
Millner, J.P., D. Silungwe and C.R. McGill. 2011. Forage quality of sorghum, sudan–grass sorghum × sudan–grass and pearl millet cultivars in Manawatu. Agron. New Zeal. 41: 13–22.
Moosavi, S.G. 2012. Effect of density plant and planting pattern on yield, yield components and morphological traits of forage sorghum in the second cultivation. Int. J. Agri. Crop Sci. 4(1): 28–32.
Ould Ahmed, B.A., T. Yamamoto, M. Inoue and H. Dehghanisanji. 2007. Evaluation of sorghum density as affected by two water qualities under drip irrigation system. Am. J. Environ. Sci. 3(4): 241–246.
Patil, S.L. 2013. Winter sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) productivity as influenced by tillage practices and nitrogen management in Vertisols of SAT, India. Soil Till. Res. 126: 183–192.
Raei, Y. and R.S. Sharifi. 2009. Effects of sowing date and plant density on forage yield of sorghum. Agric. Sci. 19(1): 116–129.
Rooney, W.L. 2004. Sorghum improvement–integrating traditional and new technology to produce improved genotypes. Adv. Agron. 83: 37–109.
Rostamza, M., M.R. Chaichi, M.R. Jahansouz and A. Alimadadi. 2011. Forage quality, water use, and nitrogen utilization efficiencies of pear millet (Pennisetum americanum L.) grown under different soil moisture and nitrogen levels. Agric. Water Manag. 98: 1607–1614.
Shahrajabian, M.H., A. Soleymani and L. Naranjani. 2011. Grain yield and forage characteristics of forage sorghum under different plant densities and nitrogen levels in second cropping after barley in Isfahan, Iran. Res. Crop. 12(1): 68–78.
Shahrajabian, M.H., X. Xue, A. Soleymani, P.O. Ogbaji and Y. Hu. 2013. Evaluation of physiological
216 indices of winter wheat under different irrigation treatments using weighing lysimeter. Intl. J. Farm & Alli Sci. 2(24): 1192–1197.
Showemimo, F.A., C.A. Kimbeng and S.O. Alabi. 2002. Genotypic response of sorghum cultivars to nitrogen fertilizer in the control of Striga hermonthica. Crop Prot. 21: 867–870.
Snider, J.L., R.L. Raper and E.B. Schwab. 2012. The effect of row spacing and seeding rate on biomass production and plant stand characteristics of non–irrigated photoperiod–sensitive sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench). Ind. Crops Prod. 37: 527–535.
Soleymani, A. and M.H. Shahrajabian. 2012a. The effects of Fe, Mn and Zn foliar application on yield, ash and protein percentage of forage sorghum in climatic condition of Esfahan. Int. J. Biol. 4(3): 92–96.
Soleymani, A. and M.H. Shahrajabian. 2012b. Forage yield and quality in intercropping of forage corn with different cultivars of berseem clover in different levels of nitrogen fertilizer. J. Food Agric. Environ. 10(1): 602–604.
Soleymani, A. and M.H. Shahrajabian. 2013. Study the effects of relay cropping on yield and yield components, growth length, light intercropping, and solar radiation depreciation of different species of Brassica. Intl. J. Farm & Alli Sci. 2(12): 329–333.
Soleymani, A., A. Almodares and M.H. Shahrajabian. 2012a. Changes in seed yield and yield components of two cultivars of sweet sorghum in different plant populations. Int. J. Agric. Crop Sci. 4(4): 175–178.
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