Performance of Two Fodder Sorghum Cultivars, Under Different Irrigation Intervals and Two Seedbed Preparation Methods in a Saline Soil

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the period from November (2010) to early January, (2012), in two consecutive seasons, in the demonstration Farm of the College of Animal Production, Sudan University of Science and Technology, at Kuku, to study the performance of two Sorghum Cultivars (Sorghum bicolor) "Abu 70" and (Sorghum Sudanese) "Garawia" on a saline soil under four irrigation intervals 7-10-14-21 days, on two different soil preparation methods (ridged and flat). Irrigation water supply was from domestic water supply net work. Soil samples and irrigation water samples were analyzed chemically to determine the actual soil and irrigation water salinity degree, the average Ece and Ecw, were found to be 4.4 / ds/m, 0.285/ds/m for soil and irrigation water respectively. The treatments were arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), with four replications, with an area of 4*5 =20 m2, the data were subjected to statistical analysis using, MSTAT, Computer program. Calculation was done to determine the amount of crop water requirements in (m3) per plot, the application of irrigation water was measured by a 2 inch flow meter. The fresh and dry matter yields were taken 70 days after sowing. The main parameters were dry and fresh matter yields. The crop factor (kc) was taken using CROP WAT Program .based on Penman Monteith equation for Khartoum area. The Studied growth parameters were: crop height, stem thickness, leaves number, Leaf Area (L.A.), and the root depth. The highest value for calculated Eto (Penman Monteith) was during the developing and maturity stage. The values ranged between: (6.99, 6.08, 5.29) mm/ day. This trend was similar for the values of crop factors (kc), which ranged between (0.3 to 1.02). The results showed higher dry matter yields for shorter intervals 7, 10 days, with significant differences. The shorter irrigation intervals showed higher yields for the different soil preparation methods, with significant differences. The interaction between the two crops, the interaction between intervals and soil preparation methods. The results of the fresh matter yields followed the same pattern. All growth parameters for the two crops and under the two soil preparation methods gave significant differences in favor of the shorter irrigation intervals.