Water and Radiation Effect on Sweet Sorghum Productivity

Suitability of sweet sorghum in Greece, where irrigation supply during crop development is limited as rainfall is scarce and evapotranspiration loss is high, is examined in relation with radiation availability. A two-year field experiment was conducted, in central Greece, imposing four soil water regimes via different irrigation treatments: (1) Highly irrigated, (2) Highly irrigated till anthesis when irrigation stopped, (3) Medium irrigated, and (4) Low irrigated. It was found that above-ground dry biomass production from non-water-stressed sweet sorghum plants suggests a high productivity potential among C₄ crops. Under water shortage, radiation use efficiency may be significantly lower. Radiation use efficiency seems to be linearly related to water consumption. Stressed plants (probably except severely stressed) seem to use available water more efficiently than unstressed plants. The slope of the line relating dry matter produced and water evapotranspired increases the sooner the stress is sensed. Yield reduction resulting from post-anthesis irrigation stopage is very little. High water use efficiency values tend to be related with low radiation use efficiency values.