Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench

150 Pages·2016·6.47 MB·English

RESPONSE OF MULTICUT FODDER SORGHUM
[Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]
TO NITROGEN AND ZINC

By
RAMAMOHAN RAO DEVARAKONDA
B.Sc., (Ag.)

THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE
ACHARYA N. G. RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY
IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURE

DEPARTMENT OF AGRONOMY
ACHARYA N.G. RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, BAPATLA - 522 101

2010
CERTIFICATE

Mr. D. Ramamohan Rao has satisfactorily prosecuted the course of
research and that the thesis entitled “Response of Multicut Fodder
Sorghum[Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] to Nitrogen and Zinc”
submitted is the result of original research work and is of sufficiently
high standard to warrant its presentation to the examination. I also
certify that the thesis or part thereof has not been previously submitted
by him for a degree of any University.

Place: Bapatla (B. VENKATESWARLU)
Date: Major Advisor
Professor
Department of Agronomy
Agricultural college Bapatla,
Guntur (District)
Andhra Pradesh
CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the thesis entitled “Response of
Multicut Fodder Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) to
Nitrogen and Zinc” submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements
for the degree of Master of Science in Agriculture in the major field of
Agronomy of the Acharya N.G Ranga Agricultural University,
Hyderabad, is a record of the bonafide research work carried out by
Mr. D. Ramamohan Rao under my guidance and supervision. The
subject of the thesis has been approved by the Student’s Advisory
Committee.
No part of the thesis has been submitted by the student for
any other degree or diploma. The published part has been fully
acknowledged. All the assistance and help received during the course
of investigation have been duly acknowledged by the author of the
thesis.

(B. VENKATESWARLU)
Chairman of the Advisory Committee

Thesis approved by the Student’s Advisory Committee

Chairman : Dr. B Venkateswarlu -----------------------------
Professor
Department of Agronomy
Agricultural college, Bapatla

Member : Dr. P V N Prasad -----------------------------
Professor
Department of Agronomy
Agricultural College, Rajahmundry

Member : Dr. P R K PRASAD ----------------------------
Professor& Head
Department Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry
Agricultural College, Bapatla
CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
TITLE
No. No.
I INTRODUCTION
II REVIEW OF LITERATURE
III MATERIAL AND METHODS
IV RESULTS
V DISCUSSION
VI SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
LITERATURE CITED
APPENDIX – I

APPENDIX – II

APPENDIX – III
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
Title
No. No.
3.1 Weekly weather data during the growth period of multicut fodder

sorghum

3.2 Physical and chemical properties of the experimental soil

4.1 Plant height (cm) of multicut fodder sorghum as influenced by

treatments at different cuts
4.2 Number of leaves hill-1 of multicut fodder sorghum as influenced

by treatments at different cuts
4.3 Number of tillers hill-1 of multicut fodder sorghum as influenced

by treatments at different cuts
4.4 Leaf to stem ratio of multicut fodder sorghum as influenced by

treatments at different cuts
4.5 Total chlorophyll content (SPAD Readings) of multicut fodder

sorghum as influenced by treatments at different cuts
4.6 Dry matter accumulation (t ha-1 ) of multicut fodder sorghum as

influenced by treatments at different cuts
4.7 Days to flower initiation of multicut fodder sorghum as

influenced by treatments at different cuts
4.8 Days to harvest of multicut fodder sorghum as influenced by

treatments at different cuts
4.9 Green fodder yield (t ha-1 ) of multicut fodder sorghum as

influenced by treatments at different cuts
4.10 Dry fodder yield (t ha-1 ) of multicut fodder sorghum as

influenced by treatments at different cuts
4.11 Per day productivity (kg ha-1) of multicut fodder sorghum as

influenced by treatments at different cuts
4.12 Crude protein content (% ) of multicut fodder sorghum as

influenced by treatments at different cuts
4.13 Crude fibre content (% ) of multicut fodder sorghum as

influenced by treatments at different cuts
4.14 Total ash content (%)of multicut fodder sorghum as influenced

by treatments at different cuts
4.15 Nitrogen uptake (kg ha-1 of multicut fodder sorghum as

influenced by treatments at different cuts
4.16 Zinc content (ppm) of multicut fodder sorghum as influenced by

treatments at different cuts
4.17 Residual available N, P, K (kg ha-1) and Zn (ppm) status of soil

after the crop harvest as influenced by different treatments

4.18 Economics of multicut fodder sorghum) influenced by different

treatments
4.18a Gross returns of multicut fodder sorghum as influenced by

different treatments.
4.18b Net returns of multicut fodder sorghum as influenced by

different treatments

4.18c B C R (Benefit Cost Ratio) of muticut fodder sorghum as

influenced by different treatments
LIST OF FIGURES
Table Page
Title
No. No.
3.1 Weekly mean maximum and minimum temperature
during the crop growth period
3.1a Weekly mean relative humidity and rain fall during the
crop growth period
3.2 Layout of the experimental plot

5.1 Plant height (cm) of multicut fodder sorghum as
influenced by different treatments at first, second and

third cuts

5.2 Number of tillers (hill-1) of multicut fodder sorghum as
influenced by different treatments at first, second and

third cuts

5.3 Dry matter accumulation (t ha-1) of multicut fodder
sorghum as influenced by different treatments at first,

second and third cuts

5.4 Green fodder yield (t ha-1) of multicut fodder sorghum as
influenced by different treatments at first, second and

third cuts

5.5 Crude protein (%) of multicut fodder sorghum as
influenced by different treatments at first, second and

third cuts

5.6 Crude fibre (%) of multicut fodder sorghum as
influenced by different treatments at first, second and

third cuts
LIST OF SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS

% : Per cent
@ : At the rate of
0C : Degree celsius
C.D. (0.05) : Critical difference
cm : Centimetre
C.V. : Coefficient of variation
DAS : Days after sowing
DMS : Dimethyl sulphoxide
dS m-1 : deci Siemen per metre
EC : Electrical conductivity
et al. : And others
etc. : etcetera
Fig. : Figure
g : Gram
kg ha-1 : kilogram per hectare
ha-1 : per hectare
i.e. : that is
IGFRI : Indian Grassland and Fodder Research
Institute
K O : Potassium oxide
2
kg : Kilogram
m : metre
m-2 : Per metre square
Max. : Maximum
Min. : Minimum
ml. : Milli litre
mm : Milli metre
N : Nitrogen
NS : Non-significant
P O : Phosphorus pentoxide
2 5
Plant-1 : per plant
ppm : Parts per million
RBD : Randomized Block Design
RH : Relative Humidity
SEm± : Standard error of mean
SSP : Single super phosphate
t ha-1 : Tonnes per hectare
viz. : Namely
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost I thank God for his blessings upon me. Accomplishment of this thesis
is the result of the benevolence of the almighty, blessings of my teachers and love of my parents.
With respectful regards and immense pleasure, I wish to profess my deep sense of
gratitude and indebtedness to my Chief Advisor and Chairman of Advisory Committee
Dr. B.Venkateswarlu, Principal Scientist (Agronomy), A.P Water Management Project, Bapatla
for his insightfulness and inspiring guidance, constant affectionate encouragement, and unabated
help throughout the investigation have made it possible to bring out a refined dissertation to
recon with set standards successfully.
I am heavily indebted to Dr. P.V.N Prasad, Professor, Department of Agronomy, and
Member of the student advisory committee, Agricultural College, Rajamundry for his kind co-
operation, immensely valuable and timely help and encouragement.
I extend my thanks with utmost devotion to Dr. P.R.K Prasad, Professor and Head
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural College, Bapatla and
member of the student advisory committee for his precious guidance and affectionate help given to
me during the course of investigation.
I humbly express my intense gratitude to Dr G. Subbaiah, Professor & Head, Department
of Agronomy, Agricultural College, Bapatla for his affectionate encouragement, whole hearted
cooperation and constructive advice during the course of study.
I fervently extended my profound thanks to Dr.R. Veeraraghavaiah, former
Professor & Head, Department of Agronomy, Agricultural College, Bapatla for his concern in
enlightening me on various aspects of research, whole hearted cooperation and for his constant
appraisal on subject matter to bring out this successfully during my investigation.
I humbly express my sincere thanks to the staff members of the Department of Agronomy
viz., Dr. Ch. Pulla Rao, Professor, Dr. K. Mosha, Dr. K. Chandrasekhar, Associate Professors