Investigating irrigation management in sorghum - Breeza 2015

2015

Research organisaton
Funding sources

Trial details

Researcher(s) Jon Baird (NSW DPI)
Loretta Serafin (NSW DPI)
Year(s) 2015
Contributor Department of Primary Industries NSW
Trial location(s) Gunnedah, NSW
Further information View external link
Investigating irrigation management in sorghum - Breeza 2015 locations
Aims

To improve knowledge around the ability of sorghum to efficiently use applied irrigation water. 

Key messages
  • Hybrid choice and plant population had a significant impact on the yield of sorghum with irrigation. MR Buster yielded significantly higher than the other hybrids evaluated, while the higher population rates of 100,000 and 150,000 plants/ha yielded higher compared with the lower planting rates.
  • The development and yield potential of the late season heads was compromised, and therefore the later developing sorghum did not take full advantage of the greater soil moisture of the intensive irrigation rate.

Conclusions

The experiment showed there are considerable productivity gains to be made by growers by selecting the right hybrid and plant population when irrigating sorghum. Irrigation management can significantly influence the growth of sorghum hybrids, affecting plant height, and grain development. Population did have an effect on yield during the trial with the higher planting populations of 100,000 & 150,000 plant/ha resulting in significantly higher yields than the 50,000 & 75,000 plants/ha. The higher plant numbers took advantage of the high plant available water from the irrigation treatments. 

Lead research organisation Department of Primary Industries NSW
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC DAN00181
Trial funding source DPI NSW
Related program Northern region high yielding cereal agronomy - NSW
Acknowledgments

This research was jointly funded by GRDC and NSW DPI under project DAN00181: Northern Region high yielding cereal agronomy - NSW. Thanks to Tim Grant, Nicole Carrigan, Peter Perfrement and Mark Hellyer for technical assistance.


Other trial partners Co-operator: NSW DPI Breeza Research Station
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Sorghum
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Variety
  • Sowing: Row Spacing
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Gunnedah 2015

Sow rate or Target density 50,000 plants/ha; 75,000 plants/ha; 100,000 plants/ha; 150,000 plants/ha
Sowing machinery

Monosem precision planter on 1 m row spacing

Sow date 19 January 2015
Harvest date 9 June 2015
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Other trial notes

Treatments

Hybrids:

  • MR 43
  • 85G33
  • MR Buster
  • MR Scorpio

Population:

  • 50,000 plants/ha
  • 75,000 plants/ha
  • 100,000 plants/ha
  • 150,000 plants/ha

Irrigation:

  • I-2 – full irrigation strategy, refill set at a 50mm soil water deficit
  • I-1 – two in-crop waters: at 7-leaf stage and at head emergence
  • I-0 – rain fed
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Hybrid impact on tiller and heads

# Variety
Heads per plant (heads/plant) Tillers (no./m2) Tillers (tillers/plant)
1  G33 1.1808 14.6484 1.58
2 MR Buster 1.11391 15.1406 1.55
3 MR Scorpio 1.2568 13.3359 1.67
4 MR43 1.18248 13.5859 1.58

Heads per plant heads/plant


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Tillers no./m2


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Tillers tillers/plant


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Trial results Population impact on tillers and heads

# Treatment 1
Heads per plant (heads/plant) Tillers (no./m2) Tillers (tillers/plant)
1 50,000 plants/ha 1.45073 12.6406 2.09584
2 75,000 plants/ha 1.20534 13.6016 1.69579
3 100,000 plants/ha 1.08141 14.5391 1.38827
4 150,000 plants/ha 0.996504 15.9297 1.18821

Heads per plant heads/plant


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Tillers no./m2


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Tillers tillers/plant


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Trial results Irrigation impact on tillers and heads

# Treatment 1
Heads per plant (heads/plant) Tillers (no./m2) Tillers (tillers/plant)
1 Irrigation I-0 1.10361 13.9375 1.57258
2 Irrigation I-1 1.24333 14.0781 1.5877
3 Irrigation I-2 1.2235 14.4844 1.61436

Heads per plant heads/plant


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Tillers no./m2


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Tillers tillers/plant


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Trial results Hybrid effect on sorghum height and head length

# Variety
Plant height (cm) Head length (cm)
1  G33 106.714 30.4643
2 MR Buster 109 28.125
3 MR Scorpio 114.893 29.6429
4 MR43 113.875 31.3571

Head length cm


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Plant height cm


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Trial results Population impact on sorghum height and head length

# Treatment 1
Plant height (cm) Head length (cm)
1 50,000 plants/ha 111.286 30.8036
2 75,000 plants/ha 111.393 30.25
3 100,000 plants/ha 110.089 29.5714
4 150,000 plants/ha 111.714 28.9643

Head length cm


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Plant height cm


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Trial results Irrigation impact on sorghum height and head length

# Treatment 1
Plant height (cm) Head length (cm)
1 Irrigation I-0 103.146 28.9583
2 Irrigation I-1 115.094 30.5469
3 Irrigation I-2 119.109 30.6562

Head length cm


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Plant height cm


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Trial results Treatment yield

# Variety
Treatment 1
Treatment 2
Grain yield (t/ha)
1  G33 Irrigation I-0 50,000 plants/ha 5.56685
2 MR Buster Irrigation I-0 50,000 plants/ha 5.69627
3 MR Scorpio Irrigation I-0 50,000 plants/ha 5.17811
4 MR43 Irrigation I-0 50,000 plants/ha 4.70435
5  G33 Irrigation I-0 75,000 plants/ha 5.67319
6 MR Buster Irrigation I-0 75,000 plants/ha 6.31708
7 MR Scorpio Irrigation I-0 75,000 plants/ha 6.04232
8 MR43 Irrigation I-0 75,000 plants/ha 5.83874
9  G33 Irrigation I-0 100,000 plants/ha 5.06413
10 MR Buster Irrigation I-0 100,000 plants/ha 6.0574
11 MR Scorpio Irrigation I-0 100,000 plants/ha 5.70124
12 MR43 Irrigation I-0 100,000 plants/ha 6.00183
13  G33 Irrigation I-0 150,000 plants/ha 6.10951
14 MR Buster Irrigation I-0 150,000 plants/ha 6.67786
15 MR Scorpio Irrigation I-0 150,000 plants/ha 6.45534
16 MR43 Irrigation I-0 150,000 plants/ha 6.25167
17  G33 Irrigation I-1 50,000 plants/ha 5.05067
18 MR Buster Irrigation I-1 50,000 plants/ha 5.51092
19 MR Scorpio Irrigation I-1 50,000 plants/ha 5.15649
20 MR43 Irrigation I-1 50,000 plants/ha 5.30423
21  G33 Irrigation I-1 75,000 plants/ha 5.70932
22 MR Buster Irrigation I-1 75,000 plants/ha 6.70271
23 MR Scorpio Irrigation I-1 75,000 plants/ha 5.21494
24 MR43 Irrigation I-1 75,000 plants/ha 5.14869
25  G33 Irrigation I-1 100,000 plants/ha 6.96373
26 MR Buster Irrigation I-1 100,000 plants/ha 7.03977
27 MR Scorpio Irrigation I-1 100,000 plants/ha 6.99051
28 MR43 Irrigation I-1 100,000 plants/ha 6.81025
29  G33 Irrigation I-1 150,000 plants/ha 6.51274
30 MR Buster Irrigation I-1 150,000 plants/ha 6.69107
31 MR Scorpio Irrigation I-1 150,000 plants/ha 7.24594
32 MR43 Irrigation I-1 150,000 plants/ha 7.03037
33  G33 Irrigation I-2 50,000 plants/ha 4.89809
34 MR Buster Irrigation I-2 50,000 plants/ha 6.41017
35 MR Scorpio Irrigation I-2 50,000 plants/ha 4.84123
36 MR43 Irrigation I-2 50,000 plants/ha 5.63045
37  G33 Irrigation I-2 75,000 plants/ha 4.74686
38 MR Buster Irrigation I-2 75,000 plants/ha 5.77946
39 MR Scorpio Irrigation I-2 75,000 plants/ha 5.41412
40 MR43 Irrigation I-2 75,000 plants/ha 5.03546
41  G33 Irrigation I-2 100,000 plants/ha 5.87215
42 MR Buster Irrigation I-2 100,000 plants/ha 6.7343
43 MR Scorpio Irrigation I-2 100,000 plants/ha 5.29743
44 MR43 Irrigation I-2 100,000 plants/ha 4.7706
45  G33 Irrigation I-2 150,000 plants/ha 5.59532
46 MR Buster Irrigation I-2 150,000 plants/ha 6.75653
47 MR Scorpio Irrigation I-2 150,000 plants/ha 6.37811
48 MR43 Irrigation I-2 150,000 plants/ha 5.89805

Grain yield t/ha


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Trial results Population effect on yield

# Treatment 1
Grain yield (t/ha)
1 50,000 plants/ha 5.3229
2 75,000 plants/ha 5.68275
3 100,000 plants/ha 6.05112
4 150,000 plants/ha 6.45355

Grain yield t/ha


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Trial results Hybrid effect on yield

# Variety
Grain yield (t/ha)
1  G33 5.64067
2 MR Buster 6.33913
3 MR Scorpio 5.82888
4 MR43 5.70164

Grain yield t/ha


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Trial results Irrigation effect on yield

# Treatment 1
Grain yield (t/ha)
1 Irrigation I-0 5.83349
2 Irrigation I-1 6.19265
3 Irrigation I-2 5.62865

Grain yield t/ha


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Trial results IWUI and GPWUI

# Treatment 1
Treatment 2
Gross production water use index (yield/total water available) Irrigation water use index (yield/applied water)
1 Irrigation I-0 100,000 plants/ha 19.2212 -
2 Irrigation I-0 150,000 plants/ha 21.8757 -
3 Irrigation I-1 100,000 plants/ha 17.42 53.302
4 Irrigation I-1 150,000 plants/ha 19.3846 57.0797
5 Irrigation I-2 100,000 plants/ha 12.9324 28.54
6 Irrigation I-2 150,000 plants/ha 15.2503 34.9

Gross production water use index yield/total water available


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Irrigation water use index yield/applied water


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Gunnedah, NSW Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Gunnedah, NSW Sodosol
Soil Moisture Source: BOM/ANU
Average amount of water stored in the soil profile during the year, estimated by the OzWALD model-data fusion system.
Year Gunnedah NSW
2015 40.8mm
2014 31.3mm
2013 75.3mm
2012 122.9mm
2011 67.2mm
2010 91.3mm
2009 21.8mm
2008 35.8mm
2007 31.8mm
2006 22.3mm
2005 54.0mm
2004 61.3mm
2003 135.8mm
2002 196.3mm
2001 354.8mm
2000 415.6mm
National soil grid Source: CSIRO/TERN
NOTE: National Soil Grid data is aggregated information for background information on the wider area
Actual soil values can vary significantly in a small area and the trial soil tests are the most relevant data where available

Soil properties

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Climate

Derived climate information

No observed climate data available for this trial.
Derived climate data is determined from trial site location and national weather sources.

Gunnedah NSW

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Some data on this site is sourced from the Bureau of Meteorology

SILO weather estimates sourced from https://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/silo/
Jeffrey, S.J., Carter, J.O., Moodie, K.B. and Beswick, A.R. (2001). Using spatial interpolation to construct a comprehensive archive of Australian climate data , Environmental Modelling and Software, Vol 16/4, pp 309-330. DOI: 10.1016/S1364-8152(01)00008-1.

Trial report and links

2015 trial report



Trial last modified: 16-07-2019 14:42pm AEST