Sorghum Grain Research Articles

Red sorghum [Sorghum bicolor L. Moench]: A biochemical, nutritional hub and key food supplement - a review

Red sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) stands out as a crucial dietary staple food, particularly in economically disadvantaged and food-insecure regions worldwide. Its diversity among landraces makes India a key hub for production. Red sorghum, renowned for its nutrient density and stress tolerance, holds immense potential as an alternate crop amidst climate change challenges. This review explores red sorghum's grain structure and nutritional profile, emphasizing its macronutrient and micronutrient composition, dietary fibre content, soluble sugars and bioactive secondary metabolites, including phenols, tannins and flavonoids. Understanding these aspects underscores the importance of red sorghum in addressing nutritional deficiencies and forecasting agricultural sustainability. Red sorghum offers many health benefits, particularly as a gluten-free alternative for individuals with celiac disease. Its rich phenolic compounds exhibit potential in combating carcinoma, while its starch composition, including slowly digestible starch, benefits diabetics with its low glycemic index. Combining sorghum with probiotic milk reduces oxidative stress in chronic renal disorders. Sorghum emerges as a versatile gluten-free ingredient rich in minerals and phenolic compounds, offering health benefits in various food products like cookies, RTE cereals, pasta and pet food. Additionally, exploring sorghum's genetic variations and health impacts paves the way for developing nutritionally superior varieties with robust agronomic traits.

Current and potential future uses of sorghum to increase nutrient density for human foods.

This review attempts to set forth the current uses and benefits of sorghum ingredients (sorghum syrup, grain, and flour) and implications for future potential uses of sorghum for human consumption. Additionally, this review aims to direct future innovation, research, and development for this grain in all forms, with a particular focus on increasing the nutritional quality of food for human onsumption. Sorghum is an ancient grain that has been underutilized in terms of its nutrient and antioxidant density and functional properties. Sorghum syrup is a sweetener that has a complex flavor profile lending a harmonious balance of sweet and savory in product formulations and provides a lower glycemic index and a higher antioxidant content compared to other commonly used sweeteners. Sorghum syrup has great potential uses within the beverage category, specifically coffee, as a clean-label sweetener with a complex flavor profile. Currently, with growing interest in gluten-free alcohol, specialty brews, and sorghum's shorter growing season compared to barley and wheat, sorghum grain is being used more frequently in alcohol and no- and low-alcohol beverage production. Additionally, sorghum grain is being utilized in products as a non-wheat, nutrient-dense baking grain that has a glycemic index lower than wheat, is high in resistant starch, and contains significantly more antioxidants. Other potential applications for sorghum ingredients include a non-synthetic food dye and a sustainable and biodegradable alternative to plastic films and coatings for foods. Sorghum should be considered an ingredient in product formulation, especially in light of its ability to withstand drought and high temperatures seen in global warming.

Combining germination-extrusion as strategy to improve nutritional and nutraceutical value of whole sorghum grain

Combining germination-extrusion as strategy to improve nutritional and nutraceutical value of whole sorghum grain

Sorghum grain yield estimation based on multispectral images and neural network in tropical environments

The application of machine learning and remote sensing techniques to estimate crop yield has garnered significant attention due to their ability to analyze large volumes of data and combine various inputs for enhanced results. This study aimed to optimize sorghum grain yield prediction in tropical conditions over two seasons by integrating vegetation indices and soil elevation data to calibrate Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). We developed and implemented ten ANNs with a Multilayer Perceptron architecture using the Keras library, incorporating vegetation indices (CIgreen, SR, VARI, WDRVI) from the PlanetScope platform and soil elevation data from a harvester machine. The general M2 model (CIgreen + SR + VARI + WDRVI + soil elevation) achieved the highest performance with an R2 of 0.89 and RMSE of 0.22 t ha⁻¹ at 30 days after sowing (DAS). In 2019, the M9 model (CIgreen + SR + WDRVI + soil elevation) performed best at the same growth stage with an R2 of 0.82 and RMSE of 0.27 t ha⁻¹. Conversely, in 2020, the M3 model exhibited the best performance at 120 DAS, with an R2 of 0.84 and RMSE of 0.15 t ha⁻¹. These results highlight the variability in model performance due to environmental factors, plant growth dynamics, and the suitability of specific indices at different growth stages and years. Despite that the general model performed similarly to the growth stage-specific models, suggesting its potential applicability across different conditions and cultivars for estimating sorghum yield in tropical environments.

How sorghum starch structural properties affect its resistance to cooking in baijiu brewing

The Chinese liquor baijiu is made from fermented sorghum grain. During fermentation, the cooking resistance (starch leaching rate) is an important factor for both baijiu producers and sorghum breeders, to select and breed suitable sorghum varieties. The factors and mechanisms which affect this resistance are not well understood. To investigate this, fifteen brewing sorghum varieties were used for brewing, with sampling over cooking time. The components, starch molecular structure and particle morphology of these samples were characterized and correlated with cooking parameters. In this study, high crystallinity and gelatinization enthalpy in sorghum grains were found to reduce cooking resistance by enhancing swelling power to break the seed coat and cell wall. This is the opposite of what happens in other cereal grains. High protein content, high particle size and high amylose content are the main factors for improving cooking resistance, which occurs by the formation of a cross-linked 3D structure and reduced water absorption to inhibit gelatinization. Both the average and the distribution of chain lengths of amylopectin and amylose are important factors affecting cooking resistance because, among other things, of their influence on crystal structure. This information might help manufacturers select and breed sorghum varieties which have optimal behavior for a given brewing method.

Integrative application of biochar and bacteria for mitigating antimony toxicity and bio-accessibility in sorghum.

Antimony (Sb) toxicity is a serious concern due to its harmful effects on humans and plants. Biochar (BC) has become a popular amendment for remediating soils polluted with metals and metalloids. However, the exact interaction mechanism between BC, microbes, and the remediation of Sb-polluted soils remains unclear. To address this, a study was performed to determine the impacts of maize straw BC and a bacterial strain (Pseudomonas frederiksbergensis: PF) in mitigating the harmful effects of Sb toxicity on sorghum productivity. A pot experiment was set up with the following treatments: control, soil contaminated with Sb (1000 mg kg-1), Sb-contaminated soil + BC (2 %), Sb-contaminated soil + PF, and Sb-contaminated soil + BC (2 %) + PF. Antimony toxicity significantly reduced sorghum biomass and grain yield while increasing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2: 32.63 %), malondialdehyde (MDA: 68.96 %) reducing chlorophyll a (95.65 %) and chlorophyll b synthesis (92 %), increasing Sb accumulation plant parts and decreasing NPK (24.48 %, 8.01 % and 19.24 %) and magnesium availability, soil organic carbon (SOC: 16.36 %), microbial biomass carbon (MBC: 10.80 %) and soil urease (76.31 %) and catalase (130.52 %) activity. The combined application of BC and bacteria enhanced the promoted sorghum biomass and grain production by improving chlorophyll synthesis, antioxidant activity, osmolyte production, nutrient availability, SOC, MBC, soil enzymatic activities and reducing both H2O2 and MDA production. Co-application of BC and bacteria decreased soil Sb concentration by 38.84 % while they decreased Sb concentration in sorghum root, stem, leaves and grains by 54.58 %, 34.15 %, 30.96 % and 54.58 % respectively. The decrease of Sb concentration in soil and plant parts with BC and bacteria application could be attributed to increase in soil pH, SOC, MBC, enzymes activities. Additionally, BC in combination with bacteria also reduced bio-accessible Sb concentration by 83.82 %, and bio-accessibility of Sb by 36.45 % indicating their appreciable potential to produce safer sorghum production in highly polluted Sb soil Therefore, BC and PF can be used together to improve sorghum production and develop environmentally friendly approaches in Sb-contaminated soils.

Enhancing the use of phosphate rock through microbially-mediated compost transformation to improve agronomic and economic profitability in Sub-Saharan Africa

Soil degradation and limited access to chemical fertilizers partly explain the persistently low crop yields in Sub-Saharan Africa. To provide local farmers with alternative fertilizer options, this study examined the impact of locally sourced fertilizers on sorghum productivity and soil health. Treatments were set up in a completely randomized block design with five replications each. These treatments included Burkina phosphate rock (BPR), calcined BPR (Cal-BPR), triple super phosphate (TSP), four types of phosphocomposts, and an unfertilized phosphate control (Control). The phospho-composts, prepared during 4 months in advance, were as follows: Comp-1 (sorghum straw + BPR + sorghum rhizosphere soil and roots), Comp-2 (sorghum straw + Cal-BPR + sorghum rhizosphere soil and roots), Comp-3 (sorghum straw + BPR + chicken manure), and Comp-4 (sorghum straw + Cal-BPR + chicken manure). They were applied at a rate of 2.5 t ha−1 at sowing, alongside BPR, Cal-BPR, and TSP that provided 23 kg P2O5 ha−1. Urea and potassium chloride were added 15 days after sowing (DAS) to all treatments to standardize nitrogen and potassium levels to 37 kg N ha−1 and 14 kg K2O ha−1. Soil properties were evaluated using the samples collected at 42, 70, and 120 DAS. Rhizosphere soil showed higher bacterial and fungal abundance than bulk soil, particularly in compost treatments. Comp-4 notably improved soil properties, including increased phosphorus-cycling microbial genes, available phosphorus, cation exchange capacity, and pH, and it produced the highest sorghum grain yield. However, Comp-3 offered superior economic benefits, with higher net returns from grain sales. Overall, phosphocomposts improve soil health and boost sorghum yield in Sub-Saharan Africa. Calcined BPR-chicken manure-enriched compost may be used to increase crop yields. However, the study shows that BPR-chicken manure-enriched compost provides a more cost-effective solution for soil revitalization and sustainable food production in infertile soils in the region.

Genotype and grain pretreatment effects on digestibility of sorghum proteins in the Ethiopian fermented bread

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesSorghum is the principal food source for smallholder farmers in Sub‐Saharan Africa. Animal proteins are beyond economic reach, and only few food legumes are well‐adapted in major sorghum‐growing regions. Hence, sorghum serves as the primary source of protein and calories. However, the low digestibility of its proteins renders the communities vulnerable to protein malnutrition. Several factors, including genotypes and processing methods, have been shown to affect the digestibility of proteins in sorghum food products. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of grain pretreatment on the protein digestibility of Ethiopian fermented flatbread.FindingsThe effect of four grain pretreatment processes: decortication, sprouting, parching, and untreated control was compared using four diverse sorghum genotypes milled to medium (2 mm) and fine (0.5 mm) particle sizes. The in‐vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) was significantly lower in the parched samples compared to the unprocessed control, while sprouting significantly increased IVPD. Decortication appears to have no impact on IVPD. Finer particle size tended to enhance IVPD in all genotypes and for all pretreatement methods. The treatments had no significant effect on protein content except the sprouting consistently but marginally increased total protein.ConclusionsSprouting sorghum grains can significantly improve the protein digestibility of fermented breads. Given that it involves little cost, the process can be readily adopted by the local community, provided that they are educated about the impact of protein deficiency on the health and productivity of the community.Significance and NoveltyLow‐cost grain pretreatment procedures such as sprouting can have a significant impact on the availability of nutrients, especially protein, the most limiting nutrient in smallholder communities. Combining the procedure with genetically enhanced varieties and improved cropping systems that integrate food legumes can significantly enhnace protein nutrition for smallholder farmers.

Short-term organic fertilizer substitution increases sorghum yield by improving soil physicochemical characteristics and regulating microbial community structure.

Chemical fertilizer reduction combined with organic fertilizer (organic fertilizer substitution) has a positive impact on crop productivity and sustainable development. However, the effects of short-term organic fertilizer substitution on microbial community structure and functions of sorghum rhizosphere soil and on sorghum yield remain unclear. Herein, this study investigated the short-term effects of organic fertilizer substitution on sorghum soil physicochemical properties, microbial community structure and enzyme activities using Metagenomic sequencing technology. The fertilization treatment included no fertilization (CK), pure chemical fertilizer N (CF), substitution of 25% chemical fertilizer N with organic N (NF25), substitution of 50% chemical fertilizer N with organic N (NF50), substitution of 75% chemical fertilizer N with organic N (NF75), and pure organic fertilizer N (NF100); soil samples were collected and analyzed in the flowering period of sorghum. The results showed that the suitable organic fertilizer substitution rate of sorghum field was 50%, and its yield was the highest among all treatments (9789.9 kg/hm2). Compared with the CF treatment, a medium ratio (50%) of organic fertilizer substitution significantly reduced soil alkalization (by 3.05%), improved soil nutrients, enhanced soil enzyme activities, and increased sorghum yield (P < 0.05). After organic fertilizer substitution treatment, higher protein, fat, and total starch levels accumulated in sorghum grains, and the tannin content of grains decreased. The effect of organic fertilizer substitution on bacterial diversity was greater than that on fungal diversity. Among the dominant bacterial phyla, the medium ratio of organic substitution treatment significantly increased the relative abundances of Proteobacteria (by 3.57%) and Actinomycetes (by 14.94%), and decreased the relative abundances of Acidobacteria (by 5.18%) and Planctomycetes (by 7.76%) compared with no fertilization, while the dominant fungal phyla did not respond significantly to the addition of organic fertilizer. Organic fertilizer substitution also improved soil microbial metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and carbon metabolism. The biomarkers enriched in inorganic fertilizer treatment and organic fertilizer substitution treatments had similar relevant environmental elements but reversed correlation trends. Moreover, soil Alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen and L-leucine aminopeptidase were important environmental factors influencing the structure of bacterial and fungal communities in sorghum soils, respectively. Soil nutrient levels and microbial communities together explained the variation in annual sorghum yield. The results of this study provide evidence that short-term organic fertilizer substitution increases sorghum yield by improving soil properties and regulating microbial community structure.

Rapid sorghum variety identification by hyperspectral imaging combined with super-depth-of-field microscopy

Sorghum, as the primary raw material for brewing, has varieties that are crucial to the quality and yield of the brewing process. To accurately identify and classify different sorghum varieties, a Two-Dimensional Feature Adaptive Convolution Model (DD-FACM) based on data acquired by Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and 3D Super-Depth-of-Field Microscopy was built. The experimental results demonstrated that the DD-FACM that was built using the combined spectral data and super-depth-of-field image data achieved 100 % accuracy in the identification of 5 varieties of sorghum grains, which was 8 %, 4.2 %, and 4.1 % higher than the classification accuracies of the support vector machine (SVM) model that was built based only the spectral data, the EfficientNet_B3 model built using only the depth-of-field image data, and the DD-FACM built using the combination of the HSI(spectral and RGB image) data, respectively. To verify the effectiveness of the DD-FACM's feature extraction, the extracted features were visualized using t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE). The results indicated that the DD-FACM based on the spectral data and the image data could achieve the rapid, accurate, and non-destructive identification of different sorghum varieties. This study not only provides brewing enterprises with an efficient method for sorghum variety identification but also offers technical support for variety identification research in related fields.

Physical and biochemical characteristics of cereal grains affect population growth parameters of Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a significant pest of rice and other cereal grains. In this research, the effects of various grain species, including barley, maize, millet, rice, sorghum, and wheat, were assessed on biological properties and life history variables of S. oryzae under laboratory conditions. Data were analyzed based on the age-stage, two-sex life table method. Furthermore, various physicochemical properties of cereal grains, including protein content, starch content, humidity content, and seed hardness, were investigated to explore their correlation with the studied parameters of S. oryzae. The longest development time was observed on millet and sorghum hosts, while the shortest was on maize seed. The beetles reared on rice and millet species showed the maximum fecundity, whereas those reared on sorghum and millet grains showed the lowest. Maize grain had the highest intrinsic rate of increase (r), whereas millet and sorghum grains had the lowest. According to the correlation analysis, overall, seed protein content was negatively correlated with insect fecundity, R0 and r, but positively correlated with development time. Furthermore, starch content was positively correlated with insect fecundity, R0 and r, and negatively correlated with development time. The cluster results demonstrated that whereas sorghum and millet were comparatively resistant hosts for the growth of S. oryzae, maize and rice were relatively susceptible seeds. This information can be helpful in the development or improvement of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies against rice weevil. The findings of this research will also be helpful in introducing unsuitable hosts for the development of transgenic grains resistant to S. oryzae. The pest-resistant cereal grains identified in this study can potentially be utilized in combination with other pest control strategies for sustainable management of S. oryzae, which may help reduce the excessive use of chemical insecticides.

Physicochemical evolution of sorghum grain starch under the condition of solid-state fermentation of Baijiu

Glutinous sorghum grains were fermented for varying durations (1, 2, 3, 5, 8 and 12 w) to investigate the effects of fermentation on the starch within the grains. Starch conversion rate and Baijiu yield continued to increase in the first 8 w of fermentation, peaking at 63.7 % and 45.7 %, respectively. The increasing rate was about eight times the subsequent decline rate. Images of CLSM revealed that the swollen starch granules progressively vanished during fermentation, transforming into irregular fragments. The total starch content decreased by 69.0 %, and almost only amylopectin remained in the grains at 12 w. The utilization rate of amylose (98.3 %) was higher than that of amylopectin (66.2 %), and the higher the amylose content, the faster the production of Baijiu. Additionally, fermentation reduced high-molecular-weight components and increased low-molecular-weight ones. The weight average molecular weight (Mw) of starch in the grains dropped from 9.13×107 g/mol to 8.02×105 g/mol. The considerable decline in starch content and molecular weight led to a substantial decrease in the final viscosity of sorghum flour, from 392 cP to below 10 cP. The findings provide a theoretical basis for intelligent control of multi-round fermentation in the Baijiu brewing industry.

Unveiling the influences of P fertilization on bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in grains of four sorghum cultivars.

Phosphorus is a critical nutrient in agriculture, influencing plant growth and nutritional quality. This study, uniquely designed to investigate the effects of phosphorus (P) fertilization levels, sorghum cultivars, and growing locations on phytochemical content and antioxidant activity in sorghum grains, employed four sorghum cultivars (Hakeka, P954063, Tabat, and Tetron) grown under three P levels (0P, 1P, 2P) in two locations (Gezira and White Nile) in Sudan. In this study, four sorghum cultivars were grown in two distinct locations in Sudan, employing a split-plot design with three (P) fertilization levels. P was applied as triple super phosphate directly with the seeds, and additional fertilization included urea applied in two split doses. At physiological maturity, representative sorghum panicles were harvested, processed, and analyzed for bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities using standard extraction and quantification techniques such as Folin-Ciocalteu for phenolics and colorimetric flavonoid assays. Antioxidant activities were assessed through various assays, including DPPH and FRAP. Statistical analyses were performed using a three-way ANOVA to examine the effects of cultivar, P level, and location on the measured parameters, supplemented by multivariate analysis to further elucidate the interactions between these factors. Significant interactions (p<0.001) were observed among cultivars, P levels, and locations for total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), carotenoids, tannins, and various antioxidant activity measures (DPPH, FRAP, ABTS, TRP, H2O2). P fertilization significantly increased all measured phytochemicals and antioxidant activities compared to non-treated cultivars, except for H2O2, which decreased with P application. Among cultivars, Hakeka consistently exhibited the highest TFC, carotenoid content, and antioxidant activities (DPPH, FRAP, TRP, ABTS), particularly at the 2P level. P954063 showed the highest TPC and tannin concentrations. Tetron generally had the lowest phytochemical and antioxidant levels. White Nile showed higher TPC, carotenoids, DPPH, FRAP, TRP, and ABTS levels, while Gezira had higher TFC, tannins, and H2O2 concentrations. The impact of phosphorus fertilization often varies between locations. Strong positive correlations were found between TPC and all antioxidant assays (r = 0.68-0.90) and total carotenoids and antioxidant activities (r = 0.73-0.93). This study recommended cultivating the Tabat variety with 2P doses in Gezira. In addition, the Hakeka cultivar showed the highest increases in total flavonoid content, carotenoids, and antioxidant activities, particularly under the highest P level (2P). The findings highlight that P plays a critical role in enhancing sorghum's nutritional and health-promoting qualities, which are essential for leveraging this staple crop for food and nutrition security strategies in semi-arid regions.

Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of Anthracnose (Colletotrichum sublineolum) Disease on Selected Sorghum Genotypes at Assosa Zone, Western Ethiopia

Background Over 500 million people worldwide rely on sorghum as a main food crop. About 10% of the daily caloric intake of households in Ethiopia’s northwest and eastern regions, including Benishangul Gumuz, comes from sorghum. A hemi-biotrophic fungal pathogen called Colletotrichum sublineolum caused anthracnose disease is among the biotic constraints of sorghum production. Methods Ten selected sorghum genotypes were assessed for sorghum anthracnose severity and its temporal and spatial dynamics on field plots in the districts of Assosa and Bambasi. The performance of the chosen sorghum genotypes was assessed using the following metrics: AUDPC, disease progress rate, yield-related trait, sorghum grain yield, and mean severity index. Anthracnose severity was evaluated using a 1–5 disease rating scale and assessments conducted at seven consecutive time points. Results Ten genotypes of sorghum were examined in the districts of Assosa and Bambasi, with mean anthracnose severity index ranging from 60-77 PSI and 53-82 PSI, respectively. AUDPC varied from 351 to 470 % days and 316 to 499 % days at Assosa and Bambasi districts, respectively. Bambasi district achieved a larger grain yield than the Assosa district. Assosa-1 demonstrated a significant level of disease pressure, yet the current investigation found that this genotype is the highest performing genotype in both locations. Conclusions There is a considerable positive link between the severity of anthracnose and the weekly total rainfall and relative humidity. At both trial sites, Mersa-1 continuously produced higher grain yields and reduced disease levels. Breeders might utilize the Baco Striga sorghum genotype as a check line in a breeding effort to resist anthracnose disease because it shown a high vulnerability to the disease at both locations.

Impact of Row Configuration and Biofertilizers on Yield and Quality of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.) Intercropped with Cowpea in the Southern Laterites of Kerala, India

A field experiment was conducted at the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during December 2023 to April 2024 to assess the performance of sorghum in terms of yield and quality, when intercropped with cowpea at varying row configuration and biofertilizers. The field experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD). The study comprised intercropping sorghum with cowpea, at three row ratios and four levels of biofertilizer application (r1 – 1:1 row ratio, r2 – 1:2 row ratio, r3 – 2:1 row ratio; b0 – No biofertilizer, b1 – AMF, b2 – Rhizobium and b3 – AMF + Rhizobium). The treatment r3 (2:1 row ratio) resulted in higher grain yield, grains per panicle, grain weight per panicle, and green stover yield of sorghum.19.4 per cent yield increase was observed in the treatment r3 than r2. Application of AMF and Rhizobium together (b3) resulted in more number of grains per panicle, grain weight, grain yield and green stover yield of sorghum. Sorghum grain yield was reduced in the absence of biofertilizer (b0). The treatment combination r2b1 (sorghum intercropped with cowpea in 1:2 ratio along with AMF) showed the highest crude protein content in sorghum grains. Iron and copper content were increased with the application of AMF (b1). However, application of AMF and Rhizobium (b3) together resulted in higher magnesium content in sorghum grains.

Evaluation of Ratoon Potential and Yield of Some Sorghum Varieties (Sorghum bicolor L)

Sorghum production needs to be increased to meet food or feed needs because sorghum grain has nutritional qualities that are comparable to other grains such as corn. One of the advantages of the sorghum plant is the growth of new shoots from the base of the harvested stem which produces new plants, ratoon, that grow until they can be harvested. This experiment examines the ratoon potential of 5 sorghum varieties, Bioguma, Samurai, Pahat, Suri4, and the local Gando Keta variety so that we can utilize ratoon technology on these sorghum varieties. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse using a Completely Randomized Design. It can be confirmed from this experiment that the dry matter weight of the main plants is higher compared to the ratoon plants' dry matter weight, however, the yield of the ratoon was higher than that of the main plants. Seed size contributes to the higher yield of the ratoon plants. Among all the varieties tested, Suri4 and Pahat show the best ratoon potential. Gando Keta, the local variety, has the lowest grain yield of main and ratoon compared to the other varieties.

Effect of Green Cowpea Manure on the Quality Properties of Sandy Soils Under the Specific Conditions of the Dry Climate in Romania

This study was carried out on the rotation of cowpea-rye + cowpea in successive crops for green manure-sorghum grains, with the objective of increasing the fertility of sandy soils by incorporating green cowpea manure into the soil in combination with chemical fertilization with NPK. In this sense, after harvesting the rye plant, the cowpea was sown, which was then incorporated into the soil during the formation of the beans in the pod. Before incorporating the cowpea biomass into the soil, the initial fertility status of the soil was assessed, and in the spring, the soil was sown with sorghum grain in two fertilization variants (N80P80K80 and N150P80K80). The soil chemical analyses carried out at the end of the vegetation cycle of the sorghum plant showed that by incorporating 52.4 t/ha green cowpea biomass (9.24 t/ha dry biomass), the quality properties of the soil were significantly improved, with annual increases of 0.17–0.29 g/kg in total nitrogen, 9.5–13.33 mg/kg in extractable phosphorus, 11.33–24 mg/kg in exchangeable potassium, and 0.08–0.12 g/kg in organic carbon, also depending on the sorghum fertilization system. It has also been shown to reduce the acidity of the soil pH and improve the water holding capacity of the soil.

Effect of Conservation Agricultural Practices on Crop Yield and Soil Properties Under Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] — Black Gram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] System in Rainfed Alfisol

ABSTRACT A long-term study was conducted to assess the effect of tillage (conventional, CT and minimum, MT) and residue retention treatments on crop yields, sustainable yield index (SYI), rain water use efficiency (RWUE) and soil properties under sorghum – black gram system in resource poor Semi-Arid Tropical (SAT) Alfisol at Hyderabad, India. The results revealed that when averaged over residue retention treatments, MT recorded 12.32 and 5.21% higher sorghum and black gram grain yield, 19.61 and 25.93% higher sustainability yield Index (SYI), and 12.27 and 5.15% rain water use efficiency (RWUE), respectively, over conventional tillage. Residue retention treatments (averaged over tillage treatments) S2 (cutting at 60 cm height for sorghum and 100% retention for black gram) and S1 (cutting at 35 cm height for sorghum and 50% retention for black gram) recorded 33.16 and 16.16, and 32.18 and 14.88% higher sorghum and black gram yield, respectively, over S0 (no residue) and also recorded 26.0 and 9.0, and 48.0 and 22.0% higher SYI over S0 in sorghum and black gram, respectively. Increase in RWUE under S2 and S1 over S0 was 33.19 and 16.23% in sorghum and was 31.4 and 14.53% in black gram. Higher residue retention maintained significantly higher soil organic carbon (SOC), significantly lower bulk density (BD) and significantly influenced potential of hydrogen (pH) and electrical conductivity (EC) at all the depths and also increased available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) by 35.43, 24.55, 12.12, 57.6, 53.99, 51.46 and 13.76%, respectively. Thus, the results of the present study are highly useful in improving the crop yields, yield sustainability and soil properties. Therefore, the conservation agriculture practices can be a resource saving and higher crop production technology in the rainfed Alfisols.

THE EFFECTS OF INTEGRATED SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT AND CROPPING SYSTEMS ON SOIL WATER CONTENT ON SORGHUM AND COWPEA PRODUCTION IN CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF KENYA

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background:&lt;/strong&gt; Soil fertility degradation remains the major biophysical cause of declining &lt;em&gt;per capita&lt;/em&gt; crop production on smallholder farmers in Central Kenya highlands. The study was carried out for 3 consecutive seasons in Embu County classified as semi-arid lands in Kenya. &lt;strong&gt;Objectives:&lt;/strong&gt; To determine the effect of Soil Water Harvesting (SWH), cropping systems and Integrated Soil Fertility Management technologies on sorghum and cowpea production in Mbeere South Sub-County, Kenya. &lt;strong&gt;Methodology:&lt;/strong&gt; The treatments were arranged in a factorial structure with 3 levels of SWH, 2 cropping systems and 6 soil fertility management options laid out in a partially balanced incomplete block design. The SWC was measured after 2 weeks after planting interval stages in the whole season. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and significant means separated using Least Significant Difference (LSD) at 95% Confidence Interval. &lt;strong&gt;Results:&lt;/strong&gt; There was a two way interactions effect between SWH*Fertility management options on sorghum grain yields was significant (&lt;em&gt;p&lt;/em&gt;=0.0027, &lt;em&gt;p&lt;/em&gt;=0.0008 and&lt;em&gt; p&lt;/em&gt;=0.0057) during long rains (LR) of 2011 and 2012, and short rains (SR) of 2011, respectively. Additionally, SWH methods significantly affected sorghum grain yields in a similar trend (&lt;em&gt;p&lt;/em&gt;=0.002, &lt;em&gt;p&lt;/em&gt;=0.0005 and&lt;em&gt; p&lt;/em&gt;=0.0003) in their respective seasons. In SR 2011 and LR 2012, soil fertility options also produced significant effects (&lt;em&gt;p&lt;/em&gt;=0.0047 and &lt;em&gt;p&lt;/em&gt;=0.0024) on cowpea grain yields, respectively. The results further indicated that there were significant higher SWC measurements at initial stages of 2 WAP, 4 WAP and 6 WAP intervals as compared to the late stages of the season. However, sole cropping systems had significantly more SWC measurement than those in intercropping systems in both seasons. &lt;strong&gt;Implications:&lt;/strong&gt; Manure added treatments positively affected SWC conservation and this could be as a result of increased soil organic carbon which improved soil fertility. The available SWC played a great role in drought effect mitigation by availing moisture to sorghum and cowpea productivity especially when prolonged dry spells coincide with crop’s sensitive phenological growing stages. &lt;strong&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/strong&gt; Water harvesting methods cropping systems and soil fertility management options had positive influence on soil moisture conservation and crop yields production in Central Kenya Highland. &lt;/p&gt;

Growth performance, carcass characteristics, fatty acid profile, and meat quality of male goat kids supplemented by alternative feed resources: bitter vetch and sorghum grains

Abstract. Bitter vetch and sorghum grains are alternative local feed resources that are underutilized in the southern Mediterranean area. This study aimed to assess the effects of incorporating these grains into the diet of local goat breeds on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality. Twenty-four goat kids were divided into three groups. The control group received a conventional diet consisting of oat hay, barley, and fava beans. In the first group, fava beans were replaced with bitter vetch, and in the second group, barley was replaced with sorghum. At the end of the trial, the animals were slaughtered and carcass characteristics and meat fatty acid profiles of the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle were determined. Alternative grain incorporation had no significant effect on the growth parameters. Still, it significantly affected carcass characteristics, especially in the sorghum group compared to the control group, where mesenteric fat was lower (266 vs. 437 g). The back color was lighter (L*=55.1 vs. 59.1) and less yellow (a*=-1.29 vs. 2.22). The diet also influenced the meat's chemical composition, with less protein and ash in the chevrons of animals receiving bitter vetch and sorghum grains, respectively. Regarding the fatty acid (FA) profile, sorghum grains had decreased C18:2 n-6 and polyunsaturated FA (PUFA), whereas bitter vetch grains had increased C18:3 n-3, elongase activity, and nutritive value index (NVI). The control group exhibited intermediate results for C15:0, C16:0, C16:1, C20:3 n-3, n-3, health promoting index (HPI), and thrombogenic index (TI). No significant effects were reported for saturated FA (SFA) and monounsaturated FA (MUFA). Bitter vetch and sorghum grains can be safely incorporated into fattening diets of goat kids.