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Sudangrass and Sudangrass Hybrids Responses to Row Spacing and Plant Maturity on Yields and Chemical Composition 1
Author(s) -
Worker George F.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1973.00021962006500060039x
Subject(s) - dry matter , sorghum , cutting , pasture , agronomy , cultivar , hybrid , maturity (psychological) , neutral detergent fiber , biology , horticulture , psychology , developmental psychology
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of row spacing and stage of maturity at harvest on dry matter production and the chemical composition under desert condition of Sudangrass [ Sorghum Sudanese (Piper) Stapf., var. ‘Piper’], sorghum‐sudangrass hybrid [ Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench × Sorghum Sudanese (Piper) Stapf., var. ‘Sudax SX‐11’], and a Sudangrass hybrid (var. ‘Trudan 1’). The evaluation was made during a long growing season, 224 days, at four row spacings and two maturity stages, involving three and four cuttings at flowering stage and six and seven cuttings at pasture stage (1965 and 1966, respectively). Dry matter production by all cultivars at both harvest stages significantly decreased as row spacing was increased from 35.6 to 88‐9 cm. Total dry matter production was highest with harvest at the flowering stage, 27.47, 28.16, and 27.11 metric tons/ha for sudangrass, Sudangrass hybrid, and sorghum‐sudangrass hybrid, respectively. Dry matter at the pasture stage was significantly higher for the sudangrass variety than for the hybrids. Crude protein production increased with row spacing at the pasture stage and decreased with row spacing at the flowering stage. Row spacing did not affect fiber, fat or ash production. Fiber was higher when cut at the flowering stage and lowest in the sudangrass hybrid. Dry matter production of all cultivars significantly decreased as row spacing increased.