Premium
Hybrid Grain Sorghum Response to Magnesium Fertilization 1
Author(s) -
Gallaher R. N.,
Harris H. B.,
Anderson O. E.,
Dobson J. W.
Publication year - 1975
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/agronj1975.00021962006700030005x
Subject(s) - sorghum , fertilizer , loam , human fertilization , agronomy , zoology , yield (engineering) , hybrid , chemistry , mathematics , biology , soil water , materials science , ecology , metallurgy
Limited information is available on Mg requirements for grain sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench). This experiment was performed to evaluate hybrid response in yield and Mg concentration in leaf tissue from varying levels of Mg. Three grain sorghum hybrids were grown for 3 years at five rates of Mg fertilization on a Tipic Udifluvent (sandy loam) low in available Mg. Residual soil Mg from application of fertilizer Mg increased with each increment of added fertilizer Mg. Leaf Mg ranged from 0.06% on check plots to 0.22% at the highest Mg fertilizer rate (68 kg/ha). Hybrids responded in yield and Mg concentration in the leaf to Mg fertilization. A quadratic regression model was fitted to yield and Mg concentrations in the leaf tissue. The linear effects of time accounted for more yield differences than any other variable while fertilizer Mg accounted for more differences in Mg concentration in the leaf. The magnitude of the partial regression coefficients show that 2.21 kg fertilizer Mg/ha is required to give the same increase in yield as 1 kg soil Mg/ha. Indications were that the relative response in leaf Mg concentrations to a given increment of fertilizer Mg would change inversely with soil test Mg levels. The time and method of applying fertilizer Mg might have been a factor in its availability to plants in that the level of residual Mg increased from year to year.