Effect of Different Sowing Dates on Growth and Yield of Kharif Sorghum Hybrids

The experiment was conducted on experimental farm of Department of Agricultural Meteorology, College of Agriculture, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, during kharif season 2012-13 entitled as Yield Forecasting of Sorghum by using Statistical Model to find out most optimum meteorological week for sowing sorghum in kharif season, to study the relationship between meteorological parameters and yield and to develop statistical model for yield forecasting. The results were obtained from the experiment it was found that all the biometric observations (plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, LAI and dry matter ) in kharif sorghum were significantly highest in treatment of sowing in 24 MW (11 to 17 June) followed by second sowing date 25 MW (18 to 24 June). Amongst the varieties all the biometric observations were recorded significantly highest in V1 (PSH-71). Sowing in 24 MW significantly superior over the rest of treatments with production of highest grain yield 1482.10 kg ha -1 followed by sowing in second sowing date 25MW 1444.2 kg ha -1 which was at par with sowing in 24 MW in respect to all yield attributing characters and lowest grain yield was observed in fourth sowing i.e 27 MW 1119.31 kg ha -1 . Hence, sowing of kharif sorghum should be completed on 24 MW or before 25 MW; otherwise there is chance of reduction of grain yield with delayed sowing.