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Susceptibility of Grain Sorghum to Water Deficit at Three Growth Stages 1
Author(s) -
Lewis R. B.,
Hiler E. A.,
Jordan W. R.
Publication year - 1974
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/agronj1974.00021962006600040032x
Subject(s) - sorghum , agronomy , irrigation , stage (stratigraphy) , yield (engineering) , soil water , sorghum bicolor , crop , growing season , biology , materials science , ecology , paleontology , metallurgy
Susceptibilities of grain sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. cv. ‘Oro’) to a moderately severe soil water deficit were determined for each of three growth stages. The crop susceptibility is expressed as the fractional reduction in yield caused by a given soil‐water potential at a particular growth stage as compared with a well‐watered control. The soil‐water potential was allowed to drop to −12 to −13 bars during one stage of growth only, while being maintained above −0.7 bar during the remainder of the growing season. This level of soil‐water deficit resulted in yield reductions of 17, 34, and 10% when the deficit occurred during the late vegetative to boot stage, the boot through bloom stage, and the milk through soft dough stage, respectively. These values are compared with values calculated from data reported in the literature and are discussed in terms of applicability in irrigation timing.