Agronomy characteristics of samurai sorghum as feed crop harvested with the ratoon management system

Abstract

Sorghum is a forage plant that can improve the ability to high temperatures, dry resistance, and the ability of ratoons. Ratoon is the ability of sorghum to regrowth due to being cut several times at different periods. This study aimed to evaluate the agronomic characteristics of samurai I sorghum harvested in each harvest period until the 1st ratoon. The research method used in each harvest period was utterly randomized with a factorial design (3 x 3) with 4 replications. Factor A is the age of harvest consisting of 80, 85 and 90 days of treatment and Factor B is the dose of fertilization consisting of 200, 300 and 400 kg/ha. The research area is 3 x 3 m2 in each experimental plot. The results showed that up to the 1st ratoon, samurai sorghum produced better plant height, leaf width and length than the primary and first ratoon cuttings, although there was a decrease in stem diameter in the first ratoon. The conclusion is that samurai I have good stability of agronomic characteristics up to the first ratoon so that it has the potential to be harvested in the next ratoon.