T. KERTIKOV
Institute of Forage Crops, BG - 5800 Pleven, Bulgaria
KERTIKOV, T., 2007. Study of productive capacities for production of forage, crude protein and chemical composition in Sorghum (Sorghum vulgare P.) hybrids.Bulg. J. Agric. Sci, 13: 281-289
The objective was to study the productive capacities for production of forage, crude protein and chemical composition in sorghum (Sorghum vulgare P.) hybrids.
The trials were laid out in Second experimental field in the 2002 – 2004 periods without irrigation, on a soil type of slightly leached chernozem with neutral soil reaction. Spring oat was used as a preceding crop.
Sorghum hybrids for silage production were studied with the following representatives: Super Sweet –10 from USA; Yantar from Russia; Super Sile – 20 from USA; Sooner Sweet from USA and SS-II from USA. Averaged results of the following characteristics of the hybrids were used as controls. Sowing rate 35,000 g.s./da at 45 cm interrow spacing and 7 cm intrarow spacing; Fertilizing rate – P5N13; Stage of harvesting – milky-wax ripeness.
It was found from the study that: The tested hybrids formed two maturity groups: early and medium early. The medium early group including the hybrids SS-II and Sooner Sweet had the greatest stem height and the share combination of components (leaves:stems:heads) in yield structure was the most favourable.
Hybrid SS-II had the highest productivity of green mass (10,645 kg/da), dry mass (3,466 kg/da) and crude protein (245.3 kg/da) followed by hybrid Sooner Sweet regarding dry mass yield and hybrid Super Sweet-10 regarding crude protein yield.