Influence of elements of growing technology on productivity of sorghum and biofuel output

Abstract

Goal. To determine the influence of methods of sowing seeds of sorghum varieties on energy productivity of crops in the conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe. Methods. Field — to study the biological, ecological features of growth and development of productivity and quality of culture (observation, obtaining correlations, compliance with changes in conditions and accounting for results); laboratory — to identify the relationship between plant and the environment (analysis of plants and soil); generalization — to establish the general properties and characteristics of objects; mathematical and statistical — to process experimental data to increase the validity of conclusions. Results. Based on the research, it was found that the highest grain and biomass yields were observed when sowing sorghum seeds of grain varieties Dniprovskyi 39 and Vinets with a row spacing of 45 cm and a plant density of 200 thousand pieces/ha. Thus, in the variety Dniprovskyi 39 the grain and biomass yields were 7.4 t/ha and 44.6 t/ha, respectively, Vinets — 5.1 t/ha and 36.9 t/ha. With other methods of sowing, namely: row spacing of 15 and 70 cm and plant density of 150 and 250 thousand pieces/ha, the yield was slightly lower. The yield of bioethanol and solid biofuel in this version of the experiment was the highest and was in the variety Dniprovskyi 39 — 2.44 and 10.30 t/ha, in the variety Vinets — 1.68 and 8.52 t/ha. High total energy yield from liquid and solid biofuels, obtained from 1 ha of grain sorghum varieties Dniprovskyi 39 and Vinets, is provided at a plant density of 200 thousand pieces/ha and the row spacing of 45 cm. Conclusions. For the first time in the conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe, the energy productivity of grain sorghum depending on the methods of sowing seeds has been determined. The best developed and formed energy productivity of grain sorghum plants was fixed for sowing seeds with a row spacing of 45 cm and a plant density of 200 thousand pieces/ha, which could be recommended for cultivation in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe. This method of sowing secured high grain productivity and aboveground mass of the studied varieties of grain sorghum, as well as the highest biofuel yield and total energy yield.