Growth and yield of fodder sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) as influenced by nutrient management practices

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif 2024 at the Experimental Farm of Agronomy Section, College of Agriculture, Latur to study the effect of nutrient management practices on the growth and yield of fodder sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.). The soil was clayey in texture, moderately alkaline, low in available phosphorus, moderate in nitrogen and high in potassium. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with eight treatments and replicated thrice. The treatments are T1- control, T2- 100% RDF, T3- 100% RDF with Micronutrient Gr-II @ 0.5% spray, T4-100% RDF with Urea spray @ 2%, T5- 100% RDF with 2% DAP spray, T6- 75% RDF with micronutrient grade II 0.5% spray, T7- 75% RDF with 2% urea spray and T8 - 75% RDF with 2% DAP spray. Full dose of P & K and half dose of N as basal & remaining half dose of N as top dressing at 30 DAS were applied. The results showed that application of 100% RDF with Urea spray @ 2% (T3) recorded significantly higher growth attributes i.e., plant height (243.27 cm) plant-1, number of functional leaves plant-1 (14.10), leaf area plant-1 (71.00 dm2), stem girth plant-1 (8.37 cm), fresh weight per plant (1.187 kg) and yield attributes i.e., maximum green fodder yield (462 q ha-1), leaf: stem ratio (0.39) which was at par with 100% RDF with Micronutrient Gr-II @ 0.5% spray (T3).