Response of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor l.) to mineral nitrogen and biofertilization [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Two field experiments were carried out on a clay loamy soil at the experimental field of the Agricultural Research Station Sabaheia, Alexandria during 2001 and 2002 seasons, to study the effect of three levels of a mineral nitrogen fertilizer (40, 60 and 80 kg N/fed in urea form) and three levels of biofertilizer (0, 800 and 1600 g cerealin/fed) on sweet sorghum var. Collier. The experiments design was a split plot with four replications.The results showed that leaf area (cm2), stalk yield (ton/fed), juice yield (ton/fed), total soluble solids % and sucrose % were significantly responded to the mineral nitrogen fertilizer in both seasons and plant length, stalk diameter, purity % and extraction percentage in the 1st season. Cerealin application significantly increased stalk diameter, leaf area (cm2), stalk yield (ton/fed), juice yield (ton/fed), sucrose %, purity % in both seasons while total soluble solids % was significantly affected by cerealin in the 1st season and plant length in the 2nd season. Interaction effect between nitrogen and cerealin fertilizers significantly increased sucrose % and purity % in both seasons and juice yield and stalk yield in the 1st season. Otherwise, stalk length, diameter, leaf area and extraction % were insignificantly affected by interaction between nitrogen and cerealin fertilizers.This study recommends the application of nitrogen fertilizer at 80 kg N/fed and/or 1600 g cerealin/fed to yield the highest value of stalk yield of sweet sorghum.

Summary in Arabic.

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