Description

Abstract: Cool soil temperatures in no-till production systems often slow early grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] plant growth. This inhibitory effect may be reduced through use of starter fertilizer, nitrogen band-applied over the crop row, or removal of crop residues from the row before or at planting time to increase soil temperature. Six trials were conducted in 2004 and 2005 in eastern Nebraska with early-planted grain sorghum under continuous no-till conditions. Soil organic matter was 30 mg/kg or more and Bray-P1 ranged from 19 to 46 mg/kg in the top 5 cm of soil and from 6 to 11 mg/kg for the 5- to 20-cm depth. Application of N at 30 kg/ha in a band over the row at planting time, in-furrow application of starter fertilizer containing N+P or N+P+S, and row cleaning before or at planting all resulted in earlier flowering of sorghum. Grain water Content was slightly reduced with row cleaning. However, none of these practices individually or in combination affected kernel size, panicle number or grain yield for earlyplanted grain sorghum grown in no-till conditions.