EFFECTS OF PLANTING DENSITY ON CROP GROWTH AND SUGAR CONTENT FOR THREE SWEET SORGHUM SORGHUM BICOLOR (L.) MOENCH GENOTYPES IN EASTERN CANADA

摘要

Within the project “Evaluation of biomass crops in eastern and northern Ontario” funded by theOntario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) of Canada, a field experiment was carried outwith the aim of investigating the effects of planting density on crop growth and sugar content of three genotypes ofsweet sorghum cultivated under Eastern Canada climate conditions. Total fresh biomass production, on average of thetwo experimental factors was 42.5 t ha~(-1). It significantly increased with plant population, from 36.9 t ha~(-1) (10 plantsm~(-2)) to 48.0 t ha~(-1) (40 plants m~(-2)). The total dry biomass production on average of the two experimental factors was to9.40 t ha~(-1). Among genotypes the most productive was “Bulldozer” whose dry biomass attained 10.7 t ha~(-1) on averagefor the 3 plant densities. Sugar content was significantly influenced by genotype and population density, brix valueincreased from flowering stage to harvest.