Effect of Nitrogen Fertilization Levels and its Split Application of Nitrogen on Growth Characters and Productivity in Sorghum × Sudangrass Hybrids [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer management is one of the important aspects of economic production of sorghums in sustainable agriculture. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of different N application rates and its split N application methods on productivity, growth characteristics, N accumulation, N use efficiency (NUE), and feed value of Sorghum ${\times}$ Sudangrass hybrids. Treatments consisted of five N application rates (0, 150, 200, 250, and $300kg\;ha^{-1}$) and two split N application methods (40% in basal N, 30% at the growing stage, and 30% after the first harvest vs. 50% in basal N and 50% after the first harvest). Plant height, leaf width, and stem diameter were increased ($p{\leq}0.05$) with increasing N fertility rates at each harvest. Chlorophyll content (expressed as SPAD values) was the highest at a rate of $300\;kg\;N\;ha^{-1)$ (first harvest, 46.32; second harvest, 33.09). It was the lowest at zero N (first harvest, 21.56; second harvest, 18.5). Total N, N uptake, and NUE were increased with higher N rates. Split N application had little effect on total N, amount of N uptake, or NUE. Total dry matter yields were the highest ($21,715\;kg\;ha^{-1}$) at a rate of $300\;kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$. It was the lowest ($10,054\;kg\;ha^{-1}$) at zero N. Our results suggest that more than $300\;kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$ can improve dry matter yield to be above 116% compared to zero N, thus enhancing the agronomic characters of sorghums. However, no significant effect had been found for split N application. Further work is needed to determine the optimal N levels and the effect of split N application rates.