Effect of intra-row spacing and nitrogen rates on growth and yield of sweet sorghum( Sorghum bicolor L.)

Abstract

Two Field trials were conducted in 2015 and 2017 rainy season in the Research Farm of the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Service; Ahmadu Bello University (NAERLS/ABU) North Central Zone, Badeggi (90 45 N and 70 31 E) within the Southern Guinea Savanna to test the effect of intra-row spacing and nitrogen rates on growth and yield of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) Var.64DTN.The treatment was made up of three intra- row spacing (30, 50 and 70 cm) combined with four nitrogen rates (0, 60, 90, and 120 kg N/ha). Split plot design was used for the experiment and replicated three times. The results have shown that intra- row spacing had significant influence on plant height, total dry matter, number of leaves per plant and grain yield but had effect on stand count. Neither intra -row spacing nor nitrogen had an effect on panicle length. Nitrogen application was also observed to have significant influence on all the characters mentioned earlier. The closest intra-row spacing of 30 cm gave 41.07% and 45.71% increase in yield in 2015 and 2017 respectively over the widest spacing of 70 cm. The response of Sweet Sorghum yield to nitrogen was up to 90 and 120kg N/ha in 2015 and 2017 respectively. The increase in yield when these responses were compared to plot that did not receive nitrogen was 33.15% and 19.37% for 2015 and 2017 respectively.