Optimal fertilization for high yield and good quality of waxy sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L. Moench)

• DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2016.12.009
• Publication Date: 2016-12-21T15:01:21Z
• Authors: Can Wang; Lingbo Zhou; Guobing Zhang; Yan Xu; Liyi Zhang; Xu Gao; Jie Gao; Ne Jiang; Mingbo Shao
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; 0401 agriculture, forestry, and fisheries; 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences

Abstract Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are three crucial factors that affect the yield and quality of waxy sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L. Moench), which is used in liquor production. To optimize the fertilization measures for high yield and high amylopectin/total starch ratio in the Hongliangfeng 1 waxy sorghum cultivar, 23 treatments with five levels of three variables (N, P, and K fertilizers) were arranged in a quadratic orthogonal rotation combination design. Results showed that N fertilizer had significant effects on both the yield and amylopectin/total starch ratio, whereas P fertilizer significantly affected only the yield. K fertilizer and the interactions of the three studied factors showed no significant effects on the yield or amylopectin/total starch ratio. The effects of the three studied factors on yield and the amylopectin/total starch ratio were ranked as N fertilizer > P fertilizer > K fertilizer and N fertilizer > K fertilizer > P fertilizer, respectively. Both yield and amylopectin/total starch ratio increased and then decreased with increasing application of N, P, and K fertilizer. The optimal fertilization combination for a yield greater than 5800 kg ha −1 and an amylopectin/total starch ratio greater than 91% was 262.29–324.30 kg ha −1 N, 114.07–139.26 kg ha −1 P 2 O 5 , and 230.22–369.28 kg ha −1 K 2 O.