Yield and Economics of Sweet Sorghum Varieties under Different Establishment Methods

Abstract

Background: Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolour (L.) Moench) is a drought-resistant crop which can be grown year-round and helps in achieving food and fodder security. The performance of sweet sorghum cultivars in region-specific climatic conditions is influenced by abiotic and biotic factors. Aims: The study aims to evaluate the performance of different sweet sorghum varieties under different methods of planting. Method: The field experiment was conducted at the Instructional-cum-Research Farm of Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, during two consecutive rabi seasons of 2018-19 and 2019-2020. The treatments consisted of four levels of sweet sorghum varieties, viz., V1 - SSV 84, V2 - ICSV 93046, V3 - Madhura and V4 - CSH 22SS and three types of planting methods, viz., M1- Direct sowing, M2 - Transplanting, and M3 – System of Sorghum Intensification (SSI). Results: The results from two-year trial indicated that out of four sweet sorghum varieties evaluated, sweet sorghum variety CSH 22SS resulted in highest grain yield of 1.97 t ha-1, straw yield of 4.48 t ha-1, ethanol yield (646.89 l ha-1), mean gross return of Rs. 111088.50 ha-1, net return of Rs. 77482.53 ha-1 and B: C ratio of 3.29. Among the methods of planting, the SSI recorded the highest grain yield of 2.04 t ha-1, straw yield of 4.48 t ha-1, ethanol yield (614.50 l ha-1), mean gross return of Rs. 112045.40 ha-1, net return of Rs. 77705.36 ha-1 and B: C ratio of 3.26 in sweet sorghum. The interaction effect of sweet sorghum varieties and methods of establishment was found to be significant in the case of maximum mean gross returns (Rs. 121611.40 ha-1), net returns (87221.37 ha-1) and B: C ratio (3.53) by V4M3, i.e. CSH 22SS in combination with the SSI method of establishment. Conclusion: The study concludes that the CSH 22SS variety with the System of Sorghum Intensification (SSI) method is the most productive and economically viable option for sweet sorghum cultivation.