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Influence of row spacing on growth, light and water use by sorghum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

M. McGowan ,
H. M. Taylor  and
J. Willingham
M. McGowan
Affiliation:
University of Nottingham, School of Agriculture, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK
H. M. Taylor
Affiliation:
Department of Plant and Soil Science, College of Agricultural Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
J. Willingham
Affiliation:
Department of Plant and Soil Science, College of Agricultural Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
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Summary

Grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) was grown in Texas in 1985 at a constant population density of c. 6·6 plants/m2 in rows 0·5, 1·0 and 1·5 m apart and with the soil profile at field capacity at planting time. Dry matter production and yield were least at the widest spacing, principally because of a reduction in number of tillers. Dry matter accumulation was in direct proportion to the amount of light intercepted and largely independent of spacing between rows, with a conversion coefficient of 1·71 g dry matter/MJ energy intercepted. The most widely spaced crop used less water but not in proportion to the extent that ground cover was reduced. Water use efficiency was also less in the most widely spaced crop, probably because of heat advection from the bare soil between rows.

Type
Crops and Soils
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 116 , Issue 3 , June 1991 , pp. 329 - 339
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

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References

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