The Effect of Planting Date on Some Quantitative and Qualitative Traits of Nine Grain Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) Cultivars in Yasouj Region

In order to investigate the effect of planting date on yield and yield components of grain sorghum cultivars, a factorial experiment was conducted at Research Farm of Yasouj University, in 2010, based on randomized complete blocks design and three replications. The studied factors included nine sorghum cultivars (SOR 1003, SOR 834, SOR 808, SOR 1008, SOR 1011, SOR 1009, SOR 1006, SOR 857 and SOR 838) and three planting dates (20 May and 5 and 20 June). The results showed that the interaction effects of cultivar and planting date on yield and yield components and some of the studied physiologic and morphologic traits were significant (P≤0.01). The highest yield (863 g/m2), chlorophyll content, panicle length and number of grains per panicle (2191) were obtained from the planting date of 5 June in SOR 834 cultivar. The highest number of fertile tillers (10), carotenoid and chlorophyll b was produced by SOR 1003 cultivar and planting dates of 5 June, 20 June and 20 May, respectively. The SOR 834 cultivar and planting date of 20 June produced the highest 1000-seed weight (28.55 g). According to the results, planting date of 5 June and SOR 834 sorghum cultivar is recommendable in Yasouj region and similar agro-climatic conditions.