Sorghum

• Sorghum is usually grown in vertisols during Maghi/Rabi. However, it is grown during Kharif in Alfisols.

1. Hybrids / Varieties

a) Kharif

• CSH 9 (296A x CS 3541) High yielding hybrid better than CSH 5 in grain yield and quality with a duration of 110 days having a yield potential of 4.0 t ha^-1. Suitable for kharif and Rabi.
• Palem 2 Duration 105-110 days, grain yield 3.0-3.2 t ha^-1, dual purpose, non lodging variety, grain medium in size, pearly white, tolerant to grain mold.
• CSV 12 or PSV 1 (SPV 462) Medium duration (110 duration, high yielding variety with medium bold pearly white grain. Tolerant to shootfly, downy mildew and rust. Grain yield potential 3.0 to 3.2 t ha^-1.
• CSV 13 (SPV 475) 110-115 days duration, having yield potential 3.0 to 3.2 t ha^-1. Resistant to shoot fly and stem borer.
• CSV 14 Early maturing, high yielding variety with a duration of 100 days having a yield potential of 3.5 to 4.0 t ha^-1.
• CSV 15 110 days duration, yields up to 3.0 t ha^-1, grain medium in size and pearly white in colour.
• PSH 1 (PSA 3 x PSR 23) 100-110 days duration tall growing non lodging, grain medium in size and pearly white in colour, yield potential 4.5 – 5.0 t ha^-1.
• CSH 13 (296 A x RS 29) 105-110 days duration, tall growing suitable for Kharif and Rabi, grain medium in size and pearly white in colour, yield potential 3.5 – 4.0 t ha^-1.

2. Seeds and seeding

• Early seeding in June for Kharif and September second fortnight for Rabi are ideal.
• Drill 8.0 kg ha^-1 of seed with 45cm row spacing.
• Thinning should be between second and third week after seeding, leaving one seedling per hill at 12cm row length. Seed should be treated with thiram or captan at 3g kg-1 against grain smuts and other seed borne diseases.

3. Manuring

• FYM at 10 t ha-1 has to be incorporated during preparatory tillage.
• Apply 40 N, 20 P₂O₅ and 20 K₂O kg ha^-1 for kharif and 60 N, 30 P₂O₅, 30 K₂O kg ha^-1 for Rabi. Half of the N along with phosphorous and potash to be applied as basal dose and the remaining N at 25-30 days after seeding depending on rains.
• Fertilisers for seed production : Apply 100 kg N, 60kg P₂O₅ and 40 K₂O per hectare.

4. Weed Management

• Interculture with blade harrows at 20-25 days after seeding is effective for weed control.
• Atrazin at 0.5-1.0kg ha^-1 spray within three days after seeding can effectively control the weeds. 2-4 D at 1.0 - 1.5kg ai ha^-1 (15-20 days after sowing) can be used as post emergence application.

5. Cropping system

• Sorghum is usually intercropped with pigeonpea in 2:1 row ratio, maintaining 100 percent of sorghum population.
• Intercropping with cowpea in 2:2 ratio enhances the total fodder production without affecting grain yield of sorghum.

6. Pest Management

IPM

• For effective management of insect pests and diseases, timely sowing is very essential.
• Maintain row to row spacing of 45cms.
• Monitor the incidence of insect pests and diseases regularly and follow recommended management practices.

Shootfly

• In shootfly enderric areas or if sowing is delayed, treat the seed with carbosulfan 25 DAS at 40g kg^-1 seed.
• Spray endosulfan @ 2ml l^-1 at 7, 14 and 21 days after germination if the incidence is noticed.
• Furrow application of carbofuran 3G @ 2g/m row is also effective. Sow the crop early, soon after the onset of rains i.e., before end of the June.

Aphids

• For effective control, spray methyl demeton or dimethoate @ 2ml l^-1 or acephate 1.0 g l^-1 of water.

Earhead bug

• Dust carbaryl 5% or endosulfan 4% at 20kg ha^-1 or spray carboryl 50 WP @ 3g/L or Methyl dematon 25 EC @ 2ml/L. If necessary repeat dusting after one week.

Midge

• Endosulfan spray at 2ml l^-1 or carbaryl 5% dust @ 20kg ha^-1 at 50% earhead emergence. Repeat the application after full emergence of the earhead.

Stem borer

• Whorl application of Carbofuran 3G @ 8-10 kg ha^-1 at 35 days after germination.

8. Disease Management

Smuts

• Seed treatment with sulphur or thiram or captan 3g kg^-1 seed.

Sugary disease

• Two to three sprays of carbendazim 0.1% (1g L^-1) or captan 0.2% (2g L^-1) at weekly interval from flower initiation to pollination.

Leaf blight (Rust and Anthracnose)

• Spray twice with mancozeb 2.5 g l^-1 at 40 and 60 days after germination to control leaf spots.

Grain molds

• Treat the seed with captan or thiram @ 2-3 g kg^-1. Spray aureofungin 200ppm and captan 0.2% (2g l^-1) at grain hardening stage.

Charcoal Rot

• Disease prevalence will be more under drought and high soil temperatures during grain filling stage. Cultivate tolerant variety NTJ 3..
• If possible give one irrigation. Intercropping of sorghum with pigeonpea reduces charcoal rot incidence.

Striga control

• Manual weeding before seed set minimises striga population year after year. Pre emergence spraying of Atrazine @ 1.0 kg ai ha^-1 in 400-500 litres of water.
• Striga can be destroyed by spraying 5% ammonium sulphate solution or 20% urea solution or sodium salt of 2,4 D at 2kg a.i ha^-1. Care should be taken so as to avoid the spray fluid on sorghum crop.

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