Agricultural Research Corporation (ARC) - Sudan
Proceedings of the Meetings of the National Crop Husbandry Committee - NCHC
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Evaluation of Guar as a Proposed New Crop for Rainfed Semiarid
Regions of Western Sudan
Mohamed I. Ismail El Hag H. Abuelgasim
Abstract:
A set of guar varieties was tested for three seasons (1998-99, 1999-02
and 2000-01) at El Fasher Research Station under rain-fed conditions.
This study was intended to evaluate the adaptability of this crop to the
agro-ecological environment of the semiarid Darfur region. The average
seed yields of all guar varieties in the three seasons were 1036, 1088
and 490 kg/ha respectively, while the overall average across the three
seasons was 871 kg/ha. Although variations in yield were not
statistically significant, some varieties were superior (e.g. HFG-182)
and produced best yield (951 kg/ha) across seasons. On the other hand,
the effects of three inter-row spacing (40, 60 and 90 cm), three
intra-row spacing (20, 30 and 40 cm) and three plant population levels
(1, 2 and 3 plants per hole) on yield and some agronomic traits of guar
were studied in separate experiment in the same location during season
1999-00, 2000-01 and 2001-02. Significant differences in seed and hay
yields among the three seasons were observed. This was mainly attributed
to the variations in rainfall during the growing seasons. Seed and hay
yields increased with decreasing inter-row and intra-row spacing.
However, days to maturity and plant height showed opposite trend. The
maximum seed and hay yields were obtained at 40 cm inter-row spacing, 20
cm intra-row spacing and 3 plants per hole. Significant effects of
intra-row spacing, inter-row spacing and plants per hole on seed and hay
yields suggest the use of closer inter-row and intra-row spacing with
2-3 plants per hole to obtain higher yields under semiarid regions. In
general, guar yields in both experiments were higher than that of the
other crops under the same prevailing environmental conditions.
Therefore, this crop is suggested to be one of the new food/feed crops
in the region.
Proceedings of the Meetings of the National Crop Husbandry Committee 40th (2005) pp.268-276
Proceedings of the Meetings of the National Crop Husbandry Committee - Sudan
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