Abstract
Background: Grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is a staple cereal crop in the semiarid regions of the world, notably in sub-Saharan Africa due to its ability to withstand drought. However, poor soil fertility is one factor that limits its production in small farmers’ fields. Methods: Field experiments were conducted at two locations in the North-West province of South Africa during the 2016/17 and 2017/18 planting seasons. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of plant density, nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates and cultivar on sorghum grain quality. Ash, fiber, oil, protein and starch content were analysed. Result: N fertilizer rate had a significant effect (P≤0.05) on sorghum ash content during the 2017/18 season. Sorghum without N application had significantly higher ash content (4.438%) than those fertilized with 100 and 150 kg N/ha. Cultivar had a significant effect (P less than 0.001) on protein content during the 2017/18 season. Sorghum cultivar PAN 8816 had a significantly higher protein content (8.87%) than PAN 8625. Location had a significant effect (P less than 0.001) on starch content during the 2016/17 season. Sorghum planted at Mafikeng had a significantly higher starch content (38.50%) than sorghum planted at Taung.
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