Abstract
Sorghum culture highlighted in animal nutrition because it allows its cultivation of green conservation as silage. This study aimed to evaluate the divergence of agronomic and productive characteristics of 32 sorghum cultivars in the semiarid region. The randomized block design with three replications was used. It was evaluated the dry matter percentage (DM), fresh matter production (FMP) and dry matter production (DMP); stem proportion, panicle, and leaf blade in the plant DM; plant height, nº plants ha-1, stem diameter, leaf number, leaves and panicles length; rain use efficiency (RUE) in kg MS ha-1 mm-1, and water accumulation (WA) in kg ha-1 and kg ha-1 mm-1. The data were analyzed using the Scott-Knott procedure at a 5% significance level. The FMP and DMP showed the formation of two distinct groups, which may be crucial in choosing a more productive cultivar. Moreover, cultivar 17 stood out for presenting high leaf blade participation while cultivars 9, 19, 23, 24, and 32 in panicle participation in DM, which is considered nutritionally better due to higher digestibility than the stem. Besides, for the RUE and WA, two distinct groups were also formed, which can be great to determine cultivars that have higher xerophilic potential, and thus use them for the production of silage in semi-arid conditions. Experimental cultivars showed greater results than those commercials. Studies that evaluate the animal performance of cultivars (3, 6, 9, 17, 19, and 31), could be conducted to prove their nutritional values since these cultivars stood out for presenting interesting productive characteristics.
Highlights
The Brazilian semiarid region is characterized by its irregular rainfall distribution and frequent occurrence of prolonged droughts, with shallow soils, stony, and low fertility, it makes fodder production a challenge for animal production in the region
It is necessary to adopt forage crops that are efficient in the use of water resources available in the region
In terms of requirements and production, it is an interesting alternative for semi-arid regions because it is more adapted to the local edaphoclimatic conditions, with the capacity for productive recovery of biomass and grains after a drought period
Summary
The Brazilian semiarid region is characterized by its irregular rainfall distribution and frequent occurrence of prolonged droughts, with shallow soils, stony, and low fertility, it makes fodder production a challenge for animal production in the region. Based on this information, it is necessary to adopt forage crops that are efficient in the use of water resources available in the region. According to Sawargaonkar et al (2013), sorghum has high levels of fermentable sugars, low demand for fertilizers, short growth period, high water use efficiency, and the ability to adapt well to various climate and soil conditions. Its adoption as grass for future silage production is an increasingly frequent activity by rural producers in these regions, since it has a lower production cost than corn
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