Open Access

ARTICLE

Optimizing Sorghum Productivity Using Balanced Fertilizers on Dryland

by Samijan Samijan, Endah Nurwahyuni, Sri Minarsih^*, Agus Supriyo, Sodiq Jauhari, Yulis Hindarwati, Meinarti Norma Setiapermas, Raden Heru Praptana, Endah Winarni, Vina Eka Aristya

Research Center for Food Crops, Research Organization for Agriculture and Food, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong Science Center, Jl. Raya Jakarta-Bogor Km. 46, Bogor, 16911, Indonesia

* Corresponding Author: Sri Minarsih. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Biofertilizers and Nano Fertilizers as Tools to Increase Agriculture Resilience and Sustainability)

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2024, 93(7), 1403-1420. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2024.048339

Received 05 December 2023; Accepted 24 May 2024; Issue published 30 July 2024

Abstract

Sorghum is the fifth most required cereal crop globally. Sorghum bicolor has the advantage of being adaptive to both lowland and dryland, with drought-tolerant and wide adaptability. The low nutrient availability in dryland requires additional effective fertilizers to increase sorghum productivity. The research aimed to assess the application of organic, inorganic, and biofertilizers for sorghum productivity on dryland. Research in Central Java, Indonesia as dryland sorghum areas, from November 2022 to February 2023. The experiment cooperates with the farmers in a split-plot design, the main plot was two varieties and subplots of four fertilizers. The enhanced sorghum yield (21.38%–36.06%) with combined fertilizer was greater than the existing fertilization. Nutrient control does not rely on inorganic fertilizers but also on applying biofertilizers. The sorghum farming economic value farming indicated that combinations of fertilizer treatments and varieties provide benefits of USD 929.81–1955.81 with a revenue-cost ratio (R/C) value >1. Sorghum is an essential food commodity that faces the threat of the global crisis and an unfavorable environment. This study indicated balanced fertilizers could provide sufficient nutrients to the soil and increase nutrient absorption availability for sorghum growth and productivity. Balanced fertilization increases the uptake of N, P, and K nutrients correlates with an increase in yield of 21.38%–36.06%.

---

Keywords

---