Planting Date and Harvest Maturity Impact on Biofuel Feedstock Productivity and Quality of Sweet Sorghum Grown under Temperate Louisiana Conditions

摘要: Sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is recognized as a promising biomass energy crop for meeting the increasing demand bioenergy feedstocks. Field experiments were conducted at sites in northern and southern Louisiana 2 yr to assess planting date harvest maturity effects on yield from primary plantings ratoon crops. The cultivar M81-E was evaluated using split plot arrangement of treatments randomized complete block designs. Planting mid-March early July was treatment. Harvest heading (EH) or hard dough (HD) stage assigned subplot treatment. A range planting dates June produced substantial yields fermentable sugar with appropriate could support sugar mill operation up three additional months. However, sweet sorghum planted May harvested HD 30 210% more than other tested planting combinations. Ratoon production not dependable showing inconsistent tiller growth with resultant low yields. Correlation coefficients with quantitative agronomic characteristics were higher 0.79, while that brix only 0.32 (P < 0.0001). Production management long season cultivars such based single 150 160 d can provide and fermentable targeting crop.