Effect of Dates and Methods of Sowing with and without Hydropriming on Growth, Phenology and Yield of Sorghum under Semi Arid Conditions of Eritrea

A study was carried out at the research farm of Hamelmalo Agricultural College during summer 2015 to study the effect of dates and methods of sowing with and without hydro-priming on growth, development and yield of sorghum. The experiment consisted of 2 factors- three dates of sowing viz. D0 (Sowing before the onset of first summer rain, June 30), D1 (Sowing with the onset of first summer rains, July 7) and D2 (Sowing after the onset of summer rains, July 14) and three methods of sowing viz. SP (Direct sowing with hydro seed priming), TR (Transplanting) and DS (Direct sowing without hydro seed priming). The experiment was conducted in split plot design with 4 replications by keeping dates of sowing in the main plots and methods of sowing in the sub plots. The data on growth parameters, crop phenology, yield components and yield were recorded. The data were analysed using GENSTAT software and inferences were drawn by using LSD at 5% level of significance. Sowing methods significantly affected leaf area and leaf area index but sowing dates and their interaction with sowing methods did not show significant difference. Stand count, plant height, phenological parameters, thousand grain weight, grain and biomass yield were significantly affected by the sowing dates and methods but no significant difference in their interaction on all the parameters except in stand count and phenological parameters. Sowing before the onset of first summer rains (D0) resulted in significantly highest grain yield. Among the sowing methods, transplanting resulted in significantly higher grain yield seconded by direct sowing with hydro seed priming. Transplanting is less profitable and practicable as it is more laborious and difficult to apply in larger areas.