Effect of nitrogen fertilization and number of cuttings on growth of Sorghum and product of green and dry fodder

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted in Al-Muthanna province, during the autumn season of 2014 to investigate, the effect of (1, 2 and 3 cut) cutting frequency and different levels of nitrogen fertilizer (0,200 and 400 kg N./ha) on green and dry fodder yield and some growth characteristics of Sorghum. The results revealed that there was a significant effect for cutting frequency on green and dry fodder yield (70.83 and 25.86 ton/ha, respectively), besides the substantial effects on plant height, stem diameter, green fodder yield and dry, as compared to cutting 2 and 3. It was 48.31 and 13.41 ton /ha in cutting 2 while in cutting 3 was 22.94 and 8.9 ton/h for both green and dry fodder yield. The nitrogen level of 400 kg N./ha gave high significant value in green and dry fodder yield that were 64.37 and 21.14 ton/ha, respectively. Interaction between the nitrogen fertilizer and cutting number gave significant value in green and dry yield, 3 cutting and 400 kg nitrogen fertilizer gave the highest yield of green and dry yield which were 92.84 ton /ha and 38.75 ton /ha compared with treatment one cutting and zero nitrogen that gave the lowest in green and dry fodder yield that were 14.67 ton/ha and 10.7 ton /ha respectively. Interaction between one cut and the level of 400 kg N./ha gave highest green fodder yield and dry.