Effect of Sowing Date and Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate on Yield of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) and Nitrogen Use Efficiency

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the College of Agricultural Studies, Sudan University of Science and Technology in Khartoum (Shambat), during two summer seasons 2011/2012 and 2012/2013, to study the effect of Sowing date and Fertilizer rate on growth of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.). The cultivar used was Wad Ahmed. The experimental design used was split- plot arrangement ( a randomized complete block design (CRBD) with three replications. The main plots were four Fertilizer rate control (No), 45kg/ha (N1), 90kg/ha (N2) and 135kg/ha (N3), subplots were four sowing date on 1 st July (s1), 15 th July (s2), 1 st August (s3) and 15 th August (s4). Yield components which studied were length of head, seed weight /plant, 100. Seed weight, grain yield, harvest index and nitrogen use efficiency. The general trend was that sowing date had significant effect on harvest index in both seasons, grain yield in season one, length of head and 100. Seed weight in season two .Generally application of fertilizer resulted in significant effect on grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency in both seasons