The effect of defoliation on growth and yield of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench) variety- segaolane

Legwaila, G.M. and Mathowa, T. and Jotia, E. (2013) The effect of defoliation on growth and yield of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench) variety- segaolane. Agriculture and Biology Journal of North , 4 (6). p. 594599.

[img]
Preview
 PDF - Published Version
| Preview

Abstract

Field experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of leaf defoliation at different stages on plant growth and yield of Sorghum bicolor as it may be caused by animals, pests or diseases at Botswana College of Agriculture, Botswana during the cropping season from November 2011 to April 2012. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three leaf defoliation treatments and the control each replicated four times. The four treatments were as follows; harvesting 3 leaves when the plant had 5 fully expanded leaves - growth stage 2 (Def at 20 DAE), harvesting 3 leaves when the flag leaf was visible in the whorl - growth stage 4 (Def at 40 DAE), harvesting 3 leaves at half bloom- growth stage 6 (Def at 60 DAE) and the control (no defoliation). Defoliating three leaves 20 DAE and no defoliation treatments on sorghum plant significantly (p<0.01) increased the vegetative dry matter, leaf area and seed weight. The results also revealed a non-significant (p>0.05) effect on the stem diameter and plant height across the treatments. Based on the findings farmers are urged to guard against late defoliation on the development of the sorghum plant since this will impact negatively on the yields and to some extent compromise the plant growth with regard to leaf area and vegetative dry matter

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Defoliation, vegetative dry matter, stem diameter, leaf area, grain weight
Author Affiliation: Botswana College of Agriculture, Private Bag 0027, Gaborone, Botswana
Subjects: Plant Production
Divisions: Sorghum
Depositing User: Mr T L Gautham
Date Deposited: 29 Mar 2014 09:44
Last Modified: 29 Mar 2014 09:44
URI: http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/12728

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item
EPrints Logo
eprints is powered by EPrints 3 which is developed by the School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton. More information and software credits.