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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Maricopa, Arizona » U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center » Pest Management and Biocontrol Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #432605
Research Project: Improvement of the Aflatoxin Biocontrol Technology Based on Aspergillus flavus Population Biology, Genetics, and Crop Management Practices

Location: Pest Management and Biocontrol Research

Title: Early planting and optimized nitrogen rate maximize biomass sorghum yield and profitability

Author
item KODURU, SOWMYA - Southern Illinois University
item SADEGHPOUR, AMIR - Southern Illinois University
item CAZENAVE, ALEXANDRE-BRICE - Bayer Crop Sciences, Germany
item AGUILAR, CHRISTIAN - Virginia Tech
item OAKES, JOSEPH - Virginia Tech
item DAVIES, BENJAMIN - Virginia Tech
item Mehl, Hillary
item BALOTA, MARIA - Virginia Tech

Submitted to: Food and Energy Security
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/7/2026
Publication Date: 5/18/2026
Citation: Koduru, S., Sadeghpour, A., Cazenave, A., Aguilar, C., Oakes, J., Davies, B., Mehl, H.L., Balota, M. 2026. Early planting and optimized nitrogen rate maximize biomass sorghum yield and profitability. Food and Energy Security. 15(3). Article e70262. https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70262.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70262

Interpretive Summary: Over-application of nitrogen fertilizer to biomass sorghum has economic consequences for farmers. This study finds the best time, amount, and type of nitrogen fertilizer for farmers in the Mid-Atlantic region to stay profitable. We found that applying 57 kg/ha of nitrogen maximizes profits and prevents issues like plant lodging and disease. The type of nitrogen used is less important as long as the application amount is above 57kg/ha, so we recommend that farmers stick to 57 kg/ha for the best results. Our research helps farmers, scientists, farm advisors, extension agents, and policy makers in the Mid-Atlantic understand how to manage nitrogen for biomass sorghum.

Technical Abstract: Nitrogen (N) rate, timing, and source can strongly influence biomass sorghum yield, profitability, and disease risk, yet these management effects remain insufficiently understood under early- and late-planted systems in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. Two field experiments were conducted from 2017 to 2019 across multiple site-years to evaluate the effects of planting date, sidedress N rate, and fertilizer source on biomass sorghum yield and related traits. Experiment 1 evaluated sidedress N rates (0–224'kg'N'ha-1) under early planting (EP; a full-season cropping system) and late planting (LP; mimicking a double-crop system) and determined the most economic rate of N (MERN). Experiment 2 compared environmentally smart nitrogen (ESN) with upfront and sidedress N applications at 168'kg'N'ha-1 across planting dates. In experiment 1, EP produced 53% greater dry matter yield and 18% higher plant height than LP, while LP had 8% lower disease severity. A MERN of 57'kg'N'ha-1 provided the maximum yield, partial factor productivity and N use efficiency. In experiment 2, EP resulted in 66%, 19%, and 26%, higher dry matter, plant height and stem diameter, respectively, than LP. Upfront N and ESN produced similar biomass yield and stem diameter, but upfront N increased disease severity relative to ESN. Overall, EP and application of 57'kg'N'ha-1 was the most effective strategy for maximizing biomass yield and farm profitability. These findings suggest producers should prioritize planting date and N rate at MERN over fertilizer source, while ESN may offer added benefits under disease-prone conditions.