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Effects of Nitrogen Application on Sweet Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) in the Semi-Arid Tropical Zone of India

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http://www.jircas.affrc.go.jp/english/publication/jarq/47-1/47-1index.html
 
Title Effects of Nitrogen Application on Sweet Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) in the Semi-Arid Tropical Zone of India
 
Creator Uchino, H
Watanabe, T
Ramu, Karri
Sahrawat, K L
Marimuthu, S
Wani, S P
Ito, O
 
Subject Sorghum
 
Description Sweet sorghum is a multipurpose crop that has great potential as a bioethanol crop. To make an appreciable
profit from cultivating sweet sorghum in the semi-arid tropics (SAT), such agronomic practices
as nutrient management need to be standardized. The objective of this study is to determine optimum
nitrogen (N) rates for maximizing the grain and sugar yields of sweet sorghum during the rainy season
in the Indian SAT. During the 2009 and 2010 seasons, the response of sweet sorghum being grown
in an Alfisol to the application of six N rates (0, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 kg N ha-1) was evaluated in
Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, India. The chlorophyll content (SPAD reading), cane fresh weight, and
grain dry weight increased significantly in line with higher N rates. The volume of juice also increased
significantly, although sugar content (brix reading) did not change in line with higher N rates, consequently
resulting in a significant increase in sugar yield as computed from the volume of juice and sugar
content. There were smaller differences due to N application during the season when soil fertility was
at a medium level under high air temperature. Net income, as estimated from cane fresh weight and
grain dry weight, increased at rates up to 90 kg N ha-1, and higher N rates did not significantly affect
productivity or income, but instead caused severe lodging in 150 kg N ha-1 at the harvest stage. Based
on these results, an input of 90-120 kg N ha-1 could be recommended for maximizing sweet sorghum
productivity and farmers’ income in the SAT region of India.
 
Publisher Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences
 
Date 2013
 
Type Article
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
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Identifier http://oar.icrisat.org/6374/1/JARQ_47_1_65-73_2013.pdf
Uchino, H and Watanabe, T and Ramu, Karri and Sahrawat, K L and Marimuthu, S and Wani, S P and Ito, O (2013) Effects of Nitrogen Application on Sweet Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) in the Semi-Arid Tropical Zone of India. JARQ - Japan Agricultural Research Quarterly, 47 (1). pp. 65-73. ISSN 0021-3551