Crop production practices discussed, elaborately, under different heads are summarised as package of practices for kharif and rabi sorghums.
I. Package of Practices for Kharif Sorghum:
Sorghum during kharif is, largely, confined to relatively light soils with low soil moisture retentive capacity. Hence, it is very often subjected to vagaries of monsoon during crop growing period.
Tillage:
1. Light to medium deep soils are ploughed 2 to 3 times, starting with monsoon rains and finally harrowed for drilling the seed.
2. For effective weed management and water conservation, it is necessary to go for deep ploughing once in two to three years.
Recommended Cultivars for AP:
1. Hybrids: CSH 14, CSH 9, CSH 13, CSH 16, CSH 18, CSH 5, PSH 1, CSH 21, CSH 22 (1), CSH 23, CSH 24, CSH 26.
2. Varieties: CSV 10, CSV 11, CSV 13, CSV 15, NTJ 4, S 14, NTJ 4, SPV 462, Moti, NJ 2169, Palem 2.
Seeds and Seeding:
1. Optimum seeding time is early-June.
2. Seeds should be sown by drilling/dibbling at a depth of 5-6 cm for uniform germination and to facilitate intercultivation.
3. Recommended seed rate is 10-12 kg for hybrids and 8-10 kg ha-1 for varieties.
4. Row spacing for hybrids is 45 x 15 or 45 x 20 cm and for varieties, 45 x 15 cm.
Fertiliser Schedule:
1. Recommended rate of application is FYM 10 t ha-1 + 40 N or 60 N without FYM along with 40 P2O5
2. Entire dose of P and half of the N has to be applied as basal dose by placement/drilling.
3. If adequate rainfall is received at knee-height stage of the crop, the remaining N may be applied by placement.
Weed Management:
1. Critical period of weed competition is 15-35 DAS.
2. One or two timely intercultivations appear to be relatively more economical than herbicide use under rainfed situations. If necessary, it may be supplemented by herbicides.
3. Atrazine (0.5-0.75 kg ha-1) is effective on a broad spectrum of weeds.
4. Integrated weed management involving tillage, intercultivation and herbicide application would be effective, if soil moisture is not a limiting factor during the crop season.
Contingency Plans for Drought:
1. If the crop is subjected to drought around 40 DAS, harvest it for fodder and take ratoon crop.
2. Alternately, thinning the plants in the row or removing alternate rows appears to minimise the loss to certain extent.
3. If the drought affects seedling establishment, it would be better to go for resowing or for an alternative crop ideal for the situation.
II. Package of Practices for Rabi Sorghum:
Sorghum during rabi is, largely, confined to deep black soils with high soil moisture retentive capacity. The extent of stored moisture during rainy season influences the final sorghum yield.
Tillage:
1. For effective weed management and water conservation, it is necessary to go for deep ploughing once in two to three years.
2. For saturating with monsoon rains, fallow deep black soils (self tilled soils) should be periodically harrowed for checking weed growth and to conserve the rainwater.
3. If the soil moisture does not permit periodical harrowing, excessive weed growth must be eliminated with non-selective herbicides for timely seeding.
Recommended Cultivars for AP:
1. Hybrids:
CSH 15R, CSH 18R, CSH 19R.
2. Varieties:
CSV 14R, Moti, M 35-1, CSV 18R, CSV 216R, NJ 2092, NJ 2121, NTJ 4, Kennera.
Seeds and Seeding:
1. Optimum seeding time is mid-September.
2. Seeds should be sown by drilling to a depth of 6-7 cm for uniform germination and to facilitate intercultivation.
3. Recommended seed rate is 10 kg for hybrids and 8 kg ha-1 for varieties.
4. Row spacing for hybrids/varieties is 45 x 20 cm.
Fertiliser Schedule:
1. For fully saturated soil profile (2 m) apply 80 N + 50 P2 O5 + 30 K2 O, otherwise 40 N + 20 P2 O5 ha-1.
2. Recommended NPK must be applied at seeding by placement/drilling.
Weed Management:
1. Critical period of weed competition is 15-35 DAS.
2. One or two timely intercultivations appear to be relatively more economical than herbicide use.
3. Atrazine (0.5-0.75 kg ha-1) is effective on a broad spectrum of weeds.
4. Integrated weed management involving tillage, intercultivation and herbicide application would be effective, if soil moisture is not a limiting factor during the crop season.
Soil Moisture Conservation:
1. Sowing may be completed at the earliest convenience in September to avoid terminal soil moisture stress to the crop.
2. Runoff of rainwater during active monsoon should be minimised by repeated harrowing for its conservation in the soil
3. Soil mulch must be created by repeated intercultivations with blade harrows to prevent soil cracking.
4. If necessary, plant population may be reduced by thinning.