Effects of row spacing and plant population on sweet sorghum yield

Abstract

Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) was grown in an irrigated field trial at Richmond, New South Wales, to determine the effects of row spacing (30, 75, and 105 cm) and plant population (8 and 16 plants/m2) on yields of water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) and dry matter. For both plant populations, narrow row spacing resulted in significantly greater dry matter and WSC yield, especially at seed maturity. Total dry matter and WSC yield also increased with increased plant population from 8 to 16 plants/m2. Much of the WSC yield advantage of reduced row spacing was attributed to greater photosynthetic productivity before anthesis, which resulted in higher WSC yield at anthesis and the production of taller, thicker stems, the volume of which was closely related to post-anthesis WSC accumulation