Effects of Urea and Goat Organic Manure on Growth and Yield of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) Under Rain Fed Sandy Soil of North Kordofan State, Sudan

Abstract

This study was carried out at the premises of Faculty of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, demonstration farm, in Sheikan locality, North Kordofan state during two consecutive rainy seasons 2021- 2022, 2022-2023. The study was aimed at evaluating the effects of urea and goat organic manure fertilizers on growth and yield of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) and some soil physical properties. The experiment consisted of four treatments (Control, 2 ton goat organic manure \ feddan, 2 ton goat organic manure / feddan + 40 kg urea / feddan and 2 ton goat organic manure / feddan + 80 kg urea / feddan). Treatments were laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications. Growth characters studied were (days to 50% flowering, plant height (cm),  number of leaf per plant and stem diameter (cm).Yield and yield attributes were straw dry yield (ton/ha), 1000 seeds weight (g), grain yield (ton/ha) and harvest Index%. Soil physical properties studied were (soil moisture content %, soil bulk density and soil porosity. Data were statistically analyzed using GEN STAT. Results showed that fertilizers significantly (P<0.05) increased sorghum plant growth, yield attributes and grain yield compared to the control in both seasons. Goat organic manure and urea fertilizer had significantly (P<0.05) decreased days to 50% flowering and increased plant height, straw dry yield (ton/ha), 1000 seeds weight (g), grain yield (ton/ha) and Harvest Index% for sorghum crop. While, there was no significant effect amongst treatments on number of leaf per plant and stem diameter (cm). The highest grain yield (2.6 ton/ha) was obtained when 2 ton goat organic manure \ feddan combined with 80 kg urea /feddan as compared with the control (1.7 ton/ha). The application of goat organic manure combined with urea fertilizer increased Soil moisture content, soil bulk density and soil porosity. It can be recommended to improve sorghum productivity and soil fertility in the marginal sandy rain fed soils of North Kordofan State and similar environments.