Nitrogen and supplementary irrigation requirements of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) at Hamelmalo, semiarid regions of Eritrea (East Africa)

Abstract

The field experiments were conducted to determine the optimum level of nitrogen and supplementary irrigation requirement to maximize the yield of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) at Hamelmalo Agricultural College in the cropping seasons of 2013 and 2014. The experiments were laid out in split plot design with irrigation in main plot and nitrogen levels in subplots with three replications. The irrigation treatments were rainfed (I0), I0 + 50% of full irrigation (I1),I0 + 75% of full irrigation (I2) and I0 + full irrigation (I3).The Nitrogen levels were 18 kg N ha-1 (N0), 50 kg N ha-1(N1), 75 kg N ha-1 (N2) and 100 kg N ha-1(N3). Grain yield, stover yield and plant height were significantly affected by irrigation and nitrogen. Interaction effects showed highest average grain yield (6875 kg ha-1) and stover yield (10219 kg ha-1) in I3+N3 and lowest average grain yield (2115 kg ha-1) and stover yield (4885 kg ha-1) in I0+N0.75 kg N ha-1 with rainfed +75% of full irrigation gave optimum yield of sorghum at Hamelmalo.

Effect of supplementary irrigation on the yield of sorghum crop (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) in the context of climate change in the dry Savannahs of Togo

“…supplementary irrigation. These results con rm those ofFox and Rockström (2003) etAndom et al (2017) who demonstrated through their study that supplementary irrigation and fertilization can increase crop yields. Also the work of Mohammed and Misganaw (2022) carried out on the modelling of sorghum crop showed that the increase in sorghum yields will be conditioned by the application of supplementary irrigation and nitrogen fertilization to sorghum crops in semi-arid zone.…”