Productivity of two sorghum hybrids (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) under different levels of irrigation water salinity and sulfer application in south Sinai [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Seeds of (Mena and Horus) sorghum hybrids were sown on 1st June in 2001 and 2002 seasons at Ras Sedr Experimental Station – Desert Research Center (DRC) – South Sinia Governorate. Three different wells containing three different levels of saline water (2970, 4580 and 9350 ppm) were used in irrigation. Sulfur fertilizer was added at rates of 150, 300 and 450 kg / fed. Results revealed that grain yield reduced by 14.2% with water salinity 4580 ppm and by 34.5% when salinity increased to 9350 ppm. On the other hand, fodder yield decreased only by 3.1 and 10.8% at the same levels of salinity respectively. These findings illustrate that fodder yield was less affected by salinity while the dramatic affect of salinity was observed in grain yield. Hybrid Horus show superiority in salinity tolerant compared with Mena hybrid. All recorded characters of Horus hybrid showed significant increasing more than Mena hybrid. Superiority of Horus reached a percentage of 18.4% and 5.5% for grain and fodder yields respectively. Grain yield increased by 39.34% and 12.02% , while fodder yield increased by 8.89% and 6.00% as sulfur fertilizer increased from 150 to 300 kg/fed. and 450 kg/fed, respectively. The greatest grain and fodder yields were obtained of hybrid Horus under the lowest salt concentration (2970 ppm). The most pronounced values of growth and yield were observed when the maximum sulfur fertilizer (450 kg/fed) and water contained the lowest salt conc. (2970 ppm)were used. The higher grain yield was obtained of Horus hybrid received 450 kg S/fed. It is noticeable that the reduction occurred in fodder yield of hybrid Horus applied with 450 kg/fed due to increasing salt concentration up to 4580 ppm and 9350 ppm was little (8.1 and 6.5% respectively) and could be acceptable under condition of Ras Sedr, whereas, water available always contain high salt concentration, this little reduction may not cause economical losses in fodder yield. On the other hand, reduction occurred in grain yield was detectable (8.1 and 23.7% respectively) when high salt concentration (4580 and 9350 ppm) were used.

Summary in Arabic.

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