The effect of seedbed design on sorghumproduction in an arid environment

This paper discusses the effects of three different seedbed designs (furrow, ridge, and flatbed) on the production of sorghum under the harsh arid environment of the Sultanate of Oman. The demand for forage crops has risen significantly during the past decade in the Sultanate coinciding with the dramatic increase in milk- and meat-producing animals. Techniques for tillage of the seedbed have also changed with the introduction of new types of agricultural machinery for production of forage crops. Research relative to tillage techniques for seedbed preparation for the production of forage crops is required to meet the rising demand. The results of this study indicate that sorghum samples planted and grown on the ridge yielded the highest results relative to all categories; number of leaves, number of tillers, root length, plant height, and fresh and dry weight. It produced significantly higher mean results in the categories of root length, plant height, and fresh and dry weight compared with both the flatbed and furrow tillage method. Sorghum samples from the flatbed treatment area significantly outperformed sorghum samples from the furrow treatment area relative to the mean number of plant tillers, and mean fresh weight and mean dry weight. Sorghum samples from the furrow treatment area had significantly more leaves than samples from the flatbed treatment area.