The Impact of Planting Density and Intermediate Skips on Grain Sorghum Yields

Planting density can influence the growth and potential yield of grain sorghum systems, particularly in resource-limited environments. Therefore, documenting the sorghum’s response to different planting densities is essential for understanding crop behavior in relation to optimal yields. A study was...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ifekristi Benson, Josh Lofton, Josie Rice, Brenna Cannon
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Crops
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7655/5/3/25
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Summary:Planting density can influence the growth and potential yield of grain sorghum systems, particularly in resource-limited environments. Therefore, documenting the sorghum’s response to different planting densities is essential for understanding crop behavior in relation to optimal yields. A study was conducted in Lahoma and Perkins, Oklahoma, in 2019 and 2020 to assess the impact of varying planting densities and within-row planting in-row gaps. Planting density varied from 43,225 to 223,500 plants ha<sup>−1</sup>. Three additional treatments were implemented at 148,000 plants ha<sup>−1</sup> with 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 m gaps. An increase in plant density resulted in higher yields at Lahoma in 2019. However, at Perkins in 2019 and 2020, yields were optimized at 148,000 and 111,000 plants ha<sup>−1</sup>, respectively, and decreased as planting densities diminished. In-row gaps of 0.3 and 0.6 m did not significantly affect yields across all site-years; however, at Perkins, the 0.9 m gap significantly reduced yields compared to stands without gaps in both years. Overall, a direct relationship was observed between sorghum yields and planting density. Further evaluation of in-row gaps and how planting management should be adjusted is warranted based on the presented information.
ISSN:2673-7655