Abstract
This work was conducted to study the performance of eight sorghum varieties that contrasted with intensified practices in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Mali. Two experiments were carried out in 2018 and 2019 rainy seasons at Sotuba Agricultural Research Station in Mali. The experimental design used was a Split-split-plot with three replications and three factors including two plant densities (D1: 26666 plants ha-1 and D2: 53333 plants ha-1) as the main plot, three nitrogen levels (0, 41 and 82 kg N ha-1) as the subplot and varieties as the sub-subplot. Measurements focused on growth and physiological parameters, grain yield and yield components. The results showed that sorghum grain yield was positively correlated with straw yield, leaf area index, grain number per panicle, panicle number per m2, panicle weight per m2 in N0D1 (0 kg N ha-1 and 26666 plants ha-1) and N2D2 (178 kg N ha-1 and 53 333 plants ha-1). Furthermore, straw yield was positively correlated with the leaf area index and panicle weight m-² in N0D1 and in N2D2. Analysis of variance showed that plant density, nitrogen and variety effect on grain and straw yields were significant. The interaction density x nitrogen x variety effect was also significant on grain and straw yields. Grain and straw yields were high in the N2D2 treatment for eight varieties compared to the N0D1 treatment. GRINKAN, C2_075-15 and C2_007-03 varieties had the highest grain and straw yields in N0D1. These caudatum-type varieties could be recommended in less intensive sorghum production areas in Mali. The FADDA variety produced high grain and straw yields in N2D2. Guinea-type hybrid FADDA may be recommended for grain and straw production in intensive sorghum production areas in Mali. Key words: Mali, intensification, varieties, Nitrogen, planting density, yields.
Highlights
IntroductionSorghum yield remains low with less than one ton per hectare at national scale (Trouche et al, 2001)
Sorghum is one of the staple cereals grown in the semiarid and arid regions of Africa and Asia
Under different plant density and nitrogen combinations, high grain and straw yields were observed in the N2D2 treatment (178 kg N ha-1 and 53 333 plants ha-1) for all varieties than in the N0D1 treatment (0 kg N ha-1 and 26 666 plants ha-1)
Summary
Sorghum yield remains low with less than one ton per hectare at national scale (Trouche et al, 2001) This low yield is mainly attributed to spatial and temporal variability in rainfall, poor soil fertility and extensive traditional agronomic management practices (Trouche et al, 2001; Leibman et al, 2014). To meet the food demand of the growing population, increase in production has been mainly achieved by expanding the areas dedicated to crop cultivation (Hanak-Freud, 2000). This strategy is limited by urbanization and the saturation of the rural space leading the farmers to use intensification method (Brocke et al, 2002; Xie et al, 2019). Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients which must be used in an optimal quantity depending on plant density as its lack or excess can reduce crop productions (Fischera and Wilsonb, 1975; Ferraris and Charles, 1986; Tajul et al, 2013; Sher et al, 2016)
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