AGRONOMIC TRAITS OF SORGHUM CULTIVARS AT THREE LEVELS OF NITROGEN FERTILIZER

• Published in: Pesquisa agropecuária tropical Vol. 35; no. 1; p. 45
• Main Authors: Paula Oliveira, Regis de, de Souza França, Aldi Fernandes, Filho, Osvaldo Rodrigues, de Oliveira, Euclides Reuter, Rosa, Beneval, Soares, Tatiana Vieira, Santos Mello, Susana Queiroz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Goiânia Universidade Federal de Goiás - Escola de Agronomia e Engenharia de Alimentos 01-01-2005
• ISSN: 1983-4063

The objective of this study was to evaluate characteristics of four forage sorghum cultivars at three levels of nitrogen fertilizer in an Oxisoil. A randomized complete block design in a 4x3 factorial scheme (CMSXS 762, BRS 610, BR 700 and BR 506 hybrid cultivars combined with 50 kg.ha-1, 75 kg.ha-1 and 100 kg.ha-1 nitrogen levels). A Tukey test was used for comparison of treatment means. The yields of natural matter, with general average 59.31 t.ha-1, were significantly different among sorghum cultivars; but there was no difference caused by nitrogen levels in this trait. The dry matter yield mean (15.17 t.ha-1) did not differ among cultivars or nitrogen levels. As opposed, dry matter and panicle and stalk contents in the natural matter were different among cultivars as well as among N levels. The plant height (with general average 2.39 m) and stalk dry matter means were different only among cultivars. BR 700 and CMSXS 762 cultivars showed the best panicle/stalk/leaf ratio and the largest panicle percentage. Increased amounts of nitrogen resulted in increased panicle and decreased stalk percentage. KEY-WORDS: Sorghum; nitrogen fertilization; agronomic valuation.