Grain sorghum performance trials in Oklahoma, 2005

              GRAIN SORGHUM PERFORMANCE
TRIALS IN OKLAHOMA, 2005
PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY CROPS
OKLAHOMA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
DEPARTMENT OF PLANT AND SOIL SCIENCES
DIVISION OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES & NATURAL RESOURCES
OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
PT 2005-18 November 2005 Vol. 17, No.18
Rick Kochenower
Area Research and Extension Specialist
Plant and Soil Sciences Department
TRIAL OBJECTIVES AND PROCEDURES
Each year, performance trials for hybrid grain
sorghums are conducted by the Oklahoma
Cooperative Extension Service to provide producers,
extension educators, industry
representatives, and researchers
with information for hybrid grain
sorghums marketed in
Oklahoma.
Performance trials are conducted
at eight locations in Oklahoma:
Altus, Blackwell, Cherokee,
Enid, Goodwell, Homestead,
Keyes, and Tipton. Dry-land
trials are conducted at all
locations, with an additional
irrigated trial at Goodwell. The
Cherokee and Homestead
locations are unique trials to
evaluate certain hybrids
(generally early and medium
maturity) for planting in late
April. In 2004 a trial was
established at Enid to evaluate
hybrids for use as a double crop. All trial locations
also have DK-44 and KS 585 planted with and
without (WO) seed applied insecticide to
determine the affect of these treatments.
Grain sorghum hybrids entered (Table 1) were
assigned by companies to their respective maturity
groups (early, medium, and late) and trial locations,
therefore, all hybrids are not in all locations. Hybrids
tested at the Cherokee, Homestead, and Enid
locations were determined by Oklahoma State
University. Companies submitted all hybrid
characteristics presented in Table 1. This
information was not determined or verified by
Oklahoma State University. Company participation
was voluntary; therefore some hybrids marketed in
Oklahoma were not included in the test. Each
maturity group was tested in a
randomized complete block design
with four replications. Plots were 2
30-inch rows by 25 feet. Plots were
trimmed to 20 feet prior to harvest.
Target populations, cooperating
producers, fertilization, cultural
practices, soil series, and herbicide
use on all trials are listed with the
results tables. Rainfall data from the
nearest Mesonet site is also listed.
Some trials are long distances from
the nearest Mesonet site, therefore
rainfall could be greater or less than
reported. In 2005 only in-season
rainfall is reported instead of yearly
as in the past. Tractor powered cone
planters were used to plant all trials
with seeding rates adjusted for trial
location. Trials were harvested with
a (Massey-Ferguson 8) plot
combine.
GROWING CONDITIONS
Moisture
Soil moisture conditions were poor for early-planted
sorghum (mid April to early May) for most of the
Highlights
The highest dryland grain
yields in the last 8 years of trials
were harvested in 2005. The
highest yielding hybrids at
Cherokee and Keyes were 136.6
and 135.3 bu/ac respectively.
The high yields were due to
timely rainfall at critical periods
of plant development and
sufficient nitrogen fertilizer. The
trial at Cherokee averaged 111.0
bu/ac while the medium/full
season maturities at Keyes
averaged 108.2 bu/ac.
The trial at Homestead was
dusted in, and when adequate
rainfall occurred for emergence
the stand was inadequate so the
trial was abandoned.