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Sudan Journal of Agricultural Research

Effect of irrigation on root growth and grain yield in rabi sorghum

E .A. Elasha1, F. R. Bidinger² and R. Jayachandran²
 

Abstract:

The experiment was conducted at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi – Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) during rabi 1992.The objectives were to evaluate the effects of differences in early secondary root growth on subsequent crop water and nutrient uptake, and to understand how such differences influence the crop growth and yield. It was laid out in split plot design with three irrigation levels (0, 20 mm at nodal root initiation, 20 mm at nodal root initiation + 25 mm at panicle initiation) in the main plot and four genotypes (E36-1, Lakadi, M35-1 and Nagawhite) in the sub-plot. The results showed that the 45 mm seedling irrigation level have significantly increased nodal root number, total root length and total root mass compared to other treatments. Irrespective of irrigation level and genotype, root growth increased during the various growth stages and reached their maximum after flowering time. On the other hand, genotypes were significantly different in root length and root mass during 50% flowering and at harvest time. This might have resulted in the significant differences displayed by the genotypes for grain yield, stover and biomass and their ability to use more water and to absorb more nutrients.

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Sudan Journal of Agricultural Research Vol. 4(2004) PP. 37-42