Features of the formation of sugar sorghum yield depending on the methods of sowing and mineral nutrition in the zone of the Southern Forest-Steppe of Ukraine

Abstract

Goal. To determine the influence of seed sowing standards and mineral nutrition systems on the formation of green mass yields and dry matter content of sugar sorghum hybrids in the conditions of the Right-Bank and Left-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Methods. The study was conducted during 2023–2025 in the vil. Yurovka (Poltava oblast, Left-Bank Forest-steppe of Ukraine) and the vil. Agronomichne (Vinnytsa oblast, Right-Bank Forest-steppe of Ukraine) using the following methods: field (laying experiments, phenological observations, determination of biometric indicators of plants and green mass yield), laboratory (setting the content of dry matter), comparative calculation (evaluating the productivity and effectiveness of the studied elements of cultivation technology). The dry matter content was determined by the thermostatic weight method. Statistical analysis of the obtained data, taking into account HIP0.05, was carried out by analysis of variance using Microsoft Excel 16 and the AgroStats platform. Results. A significant influence of the seed sowing rate and mineral nutrition system on the formation of sugar sorghum yield was determined. The highest yields of green mass were obtained according to the seeding standards of 130 thousand pcs./ha, and the simultaneous use of the stimulant Biocomplex-BTU and micro-fertilizers Quantum. In the conditions of the Left-Bank Forest-Steppe, the maximum yield of the Medovyi hybrid was 76.2 tons/ha, and in the conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe — 80.5 tons/ha, which exceeded the control, respectively, by 12.4 and 13.5 tons/ha. In hybrids Favoryt and Troistyi, the yield increase under similar conditions was 11.0–11.3 and 10.0–10.6 t/ha. The content of dry matter also depended on the studied factors and increased with an increase in the seeding rate and the use of complex feeding. The highest rates were observed in the Medovyi hybrid — 35.6% in the Left-Bank Forest-Steppe, and 35.9% in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe for seeding standards of 130 thousand pieces/ha and the use of Biocomplex-BTU + Quantum. The reliability of the results obtained was confirmed by statistical processing of data; HIP0.05 for the factors «hybrid», «seeding rate», and «power supply system» was 0.7–1.15, 1.3–1.57, and 0.7–0.89 t/ha, respectively. Conclusions. The most effective combination of elements of the technology for growing sugar sorghum in the conditions of the Southern Forest-Steppe of Ukraine was the use of the Medovyi hybrid with the seeding standards of 130 thousand pieces/ha, with the simultaneous use of the Biocomplex-BTU stimulator and the Quantum micro-fertilizer. This option provided the formation of green mass yield at the level of 76.2–80.5 t/ha, as well as a dry matter content of 35.6–35.9%, which was a statistically significant excess of the control indicators.