Abstract

Rainfall was much above and temperature much below normal during the 1992 growing season. Both whole-plant dry matter (DM) and grain yields were excellent for all 11 hybrids. The two short, mid-maturing, forage sorghums (Northrup King 300 and Golden Harvest H-45) had the highest silage and grain yields; the early-maturing (Cargill 200F) and male sterile (Golden Harvest H-1) forage sorghums and the grain sorghum (DeKalb DK 42Y) the lowest silage yields. A storm with high winds on October 7 and 8 caused severe lodging in all six mid- and late-maturing hybrids (earlier-maturing hybrids had already been harvested). The 10 forage sorghum hybrids differed significantly in three important silage quality traits"”whole-plant DM, crude protein, and acid detergent fiber. Silage agronomic performance for four of the forage sorghums over 6 of the past 7 years is presented.

Keywords: Cattlemen's Day, 1993, Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station contribution, no. 93-318-S, Report of progress (Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service), 678, Beef, Forage sorghum, Hybrid, Silage, Yield

How to Cite:

Sonon, R., Dalke, B., Holthaus, D., Bonilla, D., Pfaff, L., Bolsen, K. & Young, M. A., (1993) “Agronomic performance and silage quality traits of forage sorghum hybrids in 1992”, Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports 1(1), 13-15. doi: https://doi.org/10.4148/2378-5977.2111