Forage Potential of Pearl Millet and Forage Sorghum Alternatives to Corn under the Water-Limiting Conditions of the Texas High Plains: A Review (original) (raw)
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Crop Science, 2020
The declining Ogallala aquifer in the Texas High Plains may no longer meet the irrigation requirement to produce high water-demanding forage crops like silage corn (Zea mays L.) to support a large number of beef and dairy enterprises. Forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) can be viable alternatives to silage corn due to their relative drought tolerance than silage corn. A field experiment was conducted at New Deal, TX to assess and compare the physiology, forage yield, and nutrient composition of the brown midrib (BMR) forage sorghum, BMR pearl millet, and corn under deficit irrigation in 2018 and 2019. The experiment was conducted in a split-plot design with three irrigation levels [I 0 (50 mm), I 1 (200 mm), and I 2 (350 mm)] as mainplot and five cultivars [P1498AM (corn), AF7401 and Silo700D (BMR sorghum), and Epic and Exceed (BMR pearl millet)] as sub-plot with four replications. The higher leaf water potential (LWP), stomatal conductance, and leaf area index resulted in greater biomass assimilation in I 2 compared to I 1 and I 0 irrigation treatments in both years. Sorghum and pearl millet cultivars showed lower water status through lower LWP and canopy-air temperature difference compared to corn cultivar. However, sorghum cultivars yielded greater fresh biomass than pearl millet and corn in both years. Lower lignin concentration and higher digestible energy were observed in corn, followed by pearl millet and sorghum. These results suggest that under water-stress conditions BMR sorghum can produce higher forage yield with acceptable nutritive value.
Agronomy
As water levels in the Ogallala Aquifer continue to decline in the Texas High Plains, alternative forage crops that utilize less water must be identified to meet the forage demand of the livestock industry in this region. A two-year (2016 and 2017) study was conducted at West Texas A&M University Nance Ranch near Canyon, TX to evaluate the forage production and quality of brown midrib (BMR) sorghum-sudangrass (SS) (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench ssp. Drummondii) and BMR pearl millet (PM) (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) Leeke)) harvested under three regimes (three 30-d, two 45-d, and one 90-d harvests). Sorghum-sudangrass consistently out yielded PM in total DM production in both tested years (yield range 3.96 to 6.28 Mg DM ha−1 vs. 5.38 to 11.19 Mg DM ha−1 in 2016 and 6.00 to 9.87 Mg DM ha−1 vs. 6.53 to 15.51 Mg DM ha−1 in 2017). Water use efficiency was higher in PM compared to SS. The 90-d harvesting regime maximized the water use efficiency and DM production compared to other regimes in bo...
Agronomy Journal, 2006
Forages, with greater water use efficiency (WUE) than grain and seed crops, could be used to diversify reduced and no-till dryland cropping systems from the traditional wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)- fallow system in the semiarid central Great Plains. However, farmers needasimpletooltoevaluateforageproductivity underwidelyvarying precipitation conditions. The objectives of this study were to (i) quan- tify the relationship betweencrop water use and
Agricultural Water Management, 2020
In the semi-arid Texas High Plains, declining irrigation water supply hinders the profitable corn (Zea mays L.) silage production, the principle feed ingredient of the beef and dairy industries. Drought-tolerant and deeprooting crops like forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) could be an alternative to corn silage under limiting irrigation. A field study was conducted during 2018 and 2019 at New Deal, TX to assess soil water depletion patterns, water use efficiency (WUE), and silage yield of forage sorghum, pearl millet, and corn under limited irrigation. The experiment was conducted in split-plot design with three irrigation levels [I 0 (55 and 29 mm), I 1 (172 and 147 mm), and I 2 (323 and 260 mm) in 2018 and 2019, respectively] as main-plots and five cultivars [P1498AM (corn), AF7401 and Silo700D (BMR sorghum), and Epic and Exceed (BMR pearl millet)] as sub-plots with three replications. The soil water depletion amount was greater in I 0 (105 and 57 mm) followed by I 1 (60 and 37 mm) and I 2 (44 and 13 mm) in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Fresh biomass yield was the greatest in I 2 followed by I 1 and I 0 ; however, the highest WUE was achieved in I 0 and I 2 in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Water depletion depth was greater for sorghum and pearl millet plots (0-1 m) than corn plots (0-0.6 m) which resulted in greater water depletion amount in sorghum (75 and 31 mm) and pearl millet (68 and 48 mm) plots than corn (67 and 28 mm) during 2018 and 2019, respectively. Average yield and WUE were the highest in sorghum cultivars, followed by pearl millet and corn. Results confirmed that the higher silage yield and WUE can be achieved by sorghum compared to pearl millet and corn under limited irrigation conditions.
Performance of Forage Sorghum-Legume Mixtures in Southern High Plains, USA
fg, 2009
Forage sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] and sorghum × sudangrass (S. bicolor var Sudanese) hybrids may produce as much dry matter yield as corn (Zea mays L.) for silage but with less water. Planting sorghum forage with annual legumes could increase digestibility and crude protein (CP) concentration, making the mixture more suitable for dairy cow rations. The objective of this study was to assess dry matter (DM) yield and nutritive value of brown midrib (BMR) sorghum forage grown as a monoculture or in combination with selected annual legumes. BMR100 (a forage sorghum) and PS210BMR (a photoperiod sensitive sorghum × sudangrass) were planted with four annual legumes: cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.], lablab (Lablab purpureus L.), soybean (Glycine max L.), and tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray). Lablab was most complementary with sorghum for forage. The lablab-sorghum mixtures contained more CP with no consistent effect on neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) compared to monoculture sorghums. This finding opens another possibility to produce good quality forage that could be used as an alternative forage crop to corn in the Southern High Plains.
Silage Crops for Dairy and Beef Cattle II: Sorghum and Other Forage Crops
EDIS, 2022
This publication is a second article on silage crops for dairy and beef cattle that explores crop choices and agronomic aspects of silage production in Florida, from planting until preparing to harvest for sorghum, sorghum x sudan, pearl millet, and cool-season small grain silages. Written by Marcelo Wallau, Joao Vendramini, Adegbola Adesogan, Diwakar Vyas, and Kevin Korus, and published by the UF/IFAS Agronomy Department, February 2022.
Pearl Millet and Grain Sorghum Yield Response to Water Supply in Nebraska
Agronomy Journal, 2003
tion (ET) limit the number of crops grown in this region. Corn (Zea mays L.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] is a drought-tolerant soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], and proso millet crop that may serve as an alternative summer crop in Nebraska. Field (Panicum miliaceum L.) are possible crops for inclusion experiments were conducted in 2000 and 2001 near Sidney and Mead, NE, to determine the water use efficiency (WUE) and yield response in more intensive cropping systems. Grain sorghum was to water supply at critical developmental stages of pearl millet and found to be more suitable than corn, soybean, or sungrain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. Four water regimes flower due to greater and more consistent yields. were used: (i) no irrigation, (ii) single irrigation at boot stage, (iii) Pearl millet, with its short growth cycle and drought single irrigation at mid-grain fill, and (iv) multiple irrigations. Pearl tolerance, may be a better alternative crop than grain millet grain yields were 60 to 80% that of grain sorghum. Average sorghum for western Nebraska and a possible diversifigrain yields at Mead were 5.1 Mg ha Ϫ1 for pearl millet and 6.1 Mg cation crop in eastern Nebraska cropping systems. Plett ha Ϫ1 for grain sorghum. At Sidney, average pearl millet yields were et al. (1991) indicated that pearl millet did not perform 1.9 and 3.9 Mg ha Ϫ1 in 2000 and 2001, respectively, and average grain sorghum yields were 4.1 and 5.0 Mg ha Ϫ1 in 2000 and 2001, respectively. well compared with grain sorghum and corn when grown Both crops used a similar amount of water (336 and 330 mm in 2000 in western Nebraska. However, those hybrids were exand 370 and 374 mm in 2001 for pearl millet and grain sorghum, perimental, and cool night temperatures resulted in respectively) and responded to irrigation with a linear increase in problems with seed set. Progress has been made in pearl grain yield as water use increased. Grain sorghum had greater WUE millet breeding, and hybrids less sensitive to cold night than pearl millet (12.4-13.4 kg vs. 5.1-10.4 kg grain ha Ϫ1 mm Ϫ1 ). Pearl temperatures have been developed. Pearl millet is usumillet, with lower and less stable yields, does not currently have the ally grown as a rainfed crop on sandy soil in the semiarid potential to be a substitute crop for grain sorghum in Nebraska.
Popcorn, Sweet Corn, and Sorghum as Alternative Silage Crops
jpa, 1991
Current farm program restrictions limit dent corn (Zea mays L.) acreage planted for grain or silage production. Popcorn, sweet corn, or sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] have been suggested as alternative silage crops. The objective of this study was to determine the relative forage yields, forage quality, and returns over production costs of the four crops. The silage fermentation characteristics of each crop also were determined. Studies were conducted in southern Minnesota on a Waukegan silt loam (fine-silty, over sandy-skeletal, mixed mesic Typic Hapludoll) and a Webster clay loam (fine-loamy, mixed mesic Typic Haplaquoll). Fodder dry matter yields of popcorn and sweet corn were similar and averaged 42% lower than those of dent corn and sorghum (average yield of 8.9 ton/acre). Dent corn forage crude protein (CP, average of 6.81%) and in vitro digestible dry matter (IVDDM, average 68.2%) were consistently higher and neutral detergent fiber (NDF, average of 43.4%) consistently lower than that of sorghum (CF average of 5.67%; IVODM average of 60.7%; NDF average of 49.4%) Higher sorghum forage yields, however, resulted in CP and IVDDM yields similar to those of dent corn. Average CP and IVDDM concentrations of popcorn and sweet corn forage were higher than those of sorghum; however, CP and IVDDM yields of popcorn
Millets for Forage and Grain in New Mexico and West Texas Guide A-417
INTRODUCTION The term "millet" is applied to various warm-season annual grass crops around the world that are grazed or harvested for hay or as grain for human food or animal feed. In New Mexico, as well as West Texas, the major-ity of millet (hybrid pearl and foxtail millet) is grown as forage and is capable of producing high-quality feed in a short amount of time and with minimal inputs. Millets are similar to sorghum forages in their produc-tivity and feed value. There are several advantages of millets over sorghum when grown for forage, including no prussic acid potential as well as tolerance of high pH/caliche soil conditions that induce iron deficiency. (For a detailed comparison of these two crops, see the PEARL MILLET – SORGHUM-SUDANGRASS COMPARISONS section of this guide). When used as grain, millets are considered a cereal, but in the United States they have lost a great deal of importance in favor of other cereal crops, such as wheat, sorghum, or rice. Millets a...
Selecting Small-Grain Forages for the Southern High Plains
fg, 2008
Information is lacking on the relative performance of small-grain forage types grown for hay or silage on the High Plains of New Mexico and West Texas. Tests were conducted from 2004 to 2008 at Clovis, NM, to determine long-term potential of common varieties and blends of species [wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), triticale (xTriticosecale), and oats (Avena sativa L.)] in an irrigated production system. Eleven entries were tested in at least 3 years, including exceptionally wet (2005) and dry years. In any given year, all crops yielded greater than 2.5 tons of DM, and entry mean annual yields ranged from 4.0 to 5.3 ton DM/acre over the study period. Triticale or blends containing triticale yielded more wet forage than wheat alone. In general, nutritive value of wheat was greater than that of triticale and blends. One triticale entry exhibited similar DM yields and forage quality as those of the wheats. Under irrigation, small grains have the potential to produce acceptable yields of nutritious forage in between summer crops for feeding operations in the region. While wheat may yield less tonnage, it gives greater market flexibility and may better fit into double cropping systems because of its earlier maturity than triticale.