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Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is a relatively drought- and heat-tolerant cereal crop. Global demand and consumption of agricultural crops for food, feed, and fuel is increasing at a rapid pace. To satisfy the growing worldwide demand for grain, production practices must be well optimized and managed. The objectives of the present study were: to optimize sorghum production by determining the best management practices (planting date, row spacing, seeding rate, hybrid maturity) for growth and yield, to evaluate the agronomic responsiveness of grain sorghum genotypes to nitrogen (N) fertilizer and to develop a partial financial budget to N fertilizer application based on best management practices. In order to meet these objectives, field experiments were conducted in 2009, 2010 and 2011 at Manhattan, Belleville, Ottawa, Hutchinson, Hays, at KSU Experiment Stations and Salina, and Randolph at Private Farms. Results indicated that early planting date (late May) and narrow row spacing (25 cm) providing the most equidistant spacing, produced better plant growth, light interception, yield components (number of grains per panicle, 300-grain weight), and biological yield. Results indicated that with increasing N rate, there was a proportional increase in chlorophyll SPAD meter reading, leaf color scores and number of green leaves. There was a significant difference among hybrids for N uptake, NUE and grain yield. However, there was no effect of N and no interaction between N and hybrid on grain yield. Over all, the genotypes with high NUE also had higher grain yield. Economic analysis using partial budget indicated that all N levels had positive gross benefit greater than control at all locations. However, the response varied across locations. Our research has shown that sorghum responds to changing management practices and opportunities exist to increase grain yield by optimizing planting date, seeding rate, row spacing, N application and selection of genotypes.
Sorghum is among the top five cereals and one of the key crops in global food security efforts. Sorghum is a resilient crop under high-stress environments, ensuring productivity and access to food when other crops fail. Scientists see the potential of sorghum as a main staple food in a future challenged by climate change. The contributors provide a comprehensive review of sorghum knowledge. The discussion covers genetic improvements, development of new hybrids, biotechnology, and physiological modifications. Production topics include water and nutrient management, rotations, and pest control. Final end uses, sorghum as a bioenergy crop, markets, and the future of sorghum are presented. IN PRESS! This book is being published according to the “Just Published” model, with more chapters to be published online as they are completed.
Grain Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is one of the most drought and stress tolerant crops grown in Kansas. For this reason, much of the sorghum is grown in high risk environments where other crops are more likely to fail or be unprofitable. Efficient sorghum cropping systems should not only produce high yields and use inputs such as nitrogen efficiently, but they should also remove as much risk as possible for a successful crop, and give farmers more flexibility in making input decisions. The price of nitrogen (N) fertilizer has increased substantially in recent years. Current retail prices for commonly used N fertilizers range from $0.88 to $1.50 per kilogram of N in Kansas. Thus, a farmer could easily invest $50-$100 per hectare in N, depending on the rate of N needed and the source used. Practices which allow farmers to assess crop potential as late as possible after planting before applying costly inputs like fertilizer, can increase the potential for a profitable return on those inputs in risky environments. Currently, most sorghum growers routinely apply all the N fertilizer prior to planting, sometimes as much as 6 months prior. The current Kansas State University (KSU) nitrogen recommendation is yield goal based and performs well when the grower is able to predict yield six months or more in advance of harvest. However, yield is quite variable and difficult to predict. Because long range weather and yield predictions are not very reliable, could deferring making N application decisions until later in the season when yield can be more accurately predicted reduce risk? Can the use of active sensors provide a better estimate of yield potential and nitrogen needs sometime after planting? If they can, how late can the decision be made and how best should the fertilizer N be applied? Several studies were conducted throughout Kansas to look at the effect of N rate, N application timing (pre-plant, side dress, or combinations of the two) and method of application on sorghum yield and N use efficiency. The studies were also designed to examine the potential of using optical sensors to predict optimum N rate for post-planting applications as a means of avoiding the use of soil tests to estimate soil N contributions. The objectives of this research were: a. to validate the KSU N fertilizer recommendations for grain sorghum grown in rotation with crops such as soybeans and wheat, b. to determine the effect of both preplant and midseason N applications on the growth and yield potential of grain sorghum, and to determine the optimal timing and method for midseason N applications on grain sorghum, and, c. to assess the potential of optical sensing of the growing crop to refine N recommendations using in-season applications during the growing season. This thesis will summarize the results from the various experiments we completed to achieve these objectives. The KSU N fertilizer recommendations for grain sorghum may need some revisions. This research suggests that including coefficients relating to N use efficiency may be necessary to get more accurate N recommendations. Both pre-plant and midseason N applications increased the yield of grain sorghum whenever a response to N was observed. There was no negative effect of applying all the nitrogen midseason at 30-40 days after planting when compared to pre-plant applications. Injecting nitrogen fertilizer below the soil surface had higher yields than other methods of midseason N applications such as surface banding or surface broadcasting, especially when a significant rainfall event did not occur within a few days of application. The optical sensors used in this study were very effective at making N recommendations 30-40 days after planting. These sensors will provide for more accurate N recommendations compared to the current soil test and yield goal method.
Cover crops slow erosion, improve soil, smother weeds, enhance nutrient and moisture availability, help control many pests and bring a host of other benefits to your farm. At the same time, they can reduce costs, increase profits and even create new sources of income. You¿ll reap dividends on your cover crop investments for years, since their benefits accumulate over the long term. This book will help you find which ones are right for you. Captures farmer and other research results from the past ten years. The authors verified the info. from the 2nd ed., added new results and updated farmer profiles and research data, and added 2 chap. Includes maps and charts, detailed narratives about individual cover crop species, and chap. about aspects of cover cropping.
Nitrogen fertilizers play an essential role in agricultural production in Kansas, particularly in row crops such as corn (Zea mays L.) and grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench). A good portion of the corn and grain sorghum grown in Kansas is typically grown using no-till production systems. These systems leave a large amount of surface residue on the soil surface, which can lead to ammonia volatilization losses from surface applied urea-containing fertilizers and immobilization of N fertilizers placed in contact with the residue. Leaching and denitrification can also be a problem on some soils. Current nitrogen prices, as well as concerns over environmental stewardship, are forcing producers to make smarter choices in the fertilizer products used as well as when and how the materials are applied, to optimize their nitrogen use efficiency. A common practice throughout Kansas is to apply N fertilizers prior to planting, sometimes up to 6 month prior to planting. What affect does this practice have on nitrogen availability to the growing crop? Current Kansas State University (KSU) soil test fertilizer recommendations assume 50% nitrogen use efficiency. This means of every pound of nitrogen applied only half will be utilized by the plant and turned into valuable grain. Possible solutions to help increase nitrogen use efficiency are the use of nitrogen additives which are currently on the market and claim to reduce nitrogen loss through denitrification and volatilization as well as the use of timing and application of fertilizers to further increase nitrogen use efficiency. The objective of this study is to evaluate different N fertilizer products, as well as additives and application practices and determine whether specific combinations can improve yield and N use efficiency of no-till corn and grain sorghum. The long-term goal of this study is to quantify some of these relationships to assist farmers in selecting specific combinations that could enhance yield and profitability. In this study five tools for preventing N loss were examined: fertilizer placement, or placing N below the soil surface or in bands on the residue-covered soil surface to reduce immobilization and/or volatilization; use of a urease inhibitor Agrotain (NBPT) that blocks the urease hydrolysis reaction that converts urea to ammonia and potentially could reduce ammonia volatilization; the use of a commercially available additive, Agrotain Plus, that contains both a nitrification inhibitor (DCD) and a urease inhibitor to slow both urea hydrolysis and the rate of ammonium conversion to nitrate and subsequent denitrification or leaching loss; use of a commercial product NutriSphere-N, which claims urease and nitrification inhibition; and the use of a polyurethane plastic-coated urea to delay release of urea fertilizer until the crop can use it. The ultimate goal of using these practices or products is to increase N uptake by the plant and enhance yield. An important measurement that was developed for this research was the use of a greenleaf firing index which used the number of green leaves below the ear at pollination as a key measurement in determining the effectiveness of fertilizer placement, application method, application timing and the use of nitrogen additives. If significant differences in lower leaf nitrogen stress are found, the potential exists to further develop this index and correlate differences observed with key parameters of nitrogen uptake such as ear-leaf nitrogen concentration, total nitrogen uptake and grain yield. Results observed from this research show that the potential to increase nitrogen use efficiency and reduce nitrogen loss do exist with the use of certain nitrogen additives, application methods and application timing. When conditions are conducive for nitrogen loss the use of currently available tools to protect nitrogen from volatilization, immobilization and/or denitrification loss significantly increased yields in the corn experiments. Results from the grain sorghum research indicate that when N losses limit yield, the use of products and practices enhance yield. In locations where nitrogen loss is minimal or low yields limit nitrogen response, the use of these practices was not found to be helpful.
This new volume, Advances in Sorghum Science: Botany, Production, and Crop Improvement, provides an easy-to-read and comprehensive treatment of the sorghum crop. With the world’s production of sorghum topping over 55 million tons annually, sorghum is very important for as a staple dietary food for much of the world as a rich source of micronutrients and macronutrients, as an ingredient in the processing of many foods, and as a source of fodder. The authors of the volume provide detailed information on sorghum from several disciplines and bring together recent literature under one umbrella. The book covers the various aspects of the sorghum crop, starting from its origin, to its domestication, and going on to biotechnology of the crop. It describes sorghum production, ideotypes, botany, physiology, abiotic and biotic factors affecting crop productivity, methods of cultivation, postharvest management, grain quality analysis for food processing, improvement of sorghum crop, and research advancements in breeding and biotechnology. This valuable resource will be helpful to researchers and scientists working to understand the relation between various disciplines and the implementation of new methods and technology for crop improvement and higher productivity. The multi-pronged approach will help to enable the increase sorghum productivity to meet the world’s growing demands.
A major challenge for agronomists is developing cropping systems that exhibit superior performance across variable environmental conditions. Long-term field research trials provide a direct measure of the effect of environmental conditions within the context of treatment effects. Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the most widely grown base crop in dryland systems of the semiarid central Great Plains, but grain yields are limited by nitrogen (N) and soil water availability. The goal of this research was to assess long-term cropping systems of winter wheat-grain sorghum-fallow in dryland. The focus was to determine the effect of three tillage practices and rates of N fertilization rates effects on the efficiency of the management system and grain yields for 2015-2018, and evaluate the yield stability for both crops in a 53-year-old crop rotation and fertility experiment. In the first study we evaluated the long-term effects of three different tillage practices and four N fertilizer rates on grain yield, protein content, and N use efficiency indices of winter wheat and grain sorghum in 2015-2018. The experiment was conducted on a long-term plot initiated in 1965 in Hays, KS as a split-split-plot arrangement of rotation, tillage, and N fertilizer treatments with four replications in a randomized complete block design. The main plots were the crop phase (winter wheat, grain sorghum, or fallow), sub-plots were three tillage treatments [conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT), and no-tillage (NT)]. The sub-sub-plots were four N rates (0, 22, 45, and 67 kg N ha−1) later modified in the 2015 growing season to 0, 45, 90, and 134 kg ha−1. Results showed tillage × N rate interaction had no significant (P = 0.608) effect on grain yield. Year × tillage and year × N rate had significant (P