THE PLACE OF SORGHUM IN CROP ROTATION IN FRANCE

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1 1 ST EUROPEAN SORGHUM CONGRESS WORKSHOP CROP MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR A BETTER PERFORMANCE THE PLACE OF SORGHUM IN CROP ROTATION IN FRANCE Jean-Luc VERDIER, Engineer, ARVALIS FRANCE

2 SORGHUM IN FRANCE Production areas Grain collect by department In ton (2014/2015) 2 Jean-Luc VERDIER, The place of sorghum in crop rotation in France

3 Cumulative GDD (base 6 C) SORGHUM IN FRANCE PRODUCTION AREA AND LENGTH OF VARIETY MATURITY Variety choice must take into account precocity group suitable for its production area and the cumulative GDD available Precocity group and area Cumulative GDD (*) from planting to maturity Very early variety Early and mid early variety Late variety (*) : Growing Degree Day (base 6 C) Médiane Toulouse(31) Médiane Tours(37) Jean-Luc VERDIER, The place of sorghum in crop rotation in France

4 PLACE IN CROP ROTATION Most of the French sorghum crops are grown without irrigation Examples of sorghum place in crop rotation Sorghum in Innovative system (conservation tillage, agroecology) Winter wheat Sorghum Winter wheat Sunflower Colza Winter wheat Sunflower Extension and diversification of rotation : Best management of pest (disease, insect, weed) Improving system performances (economic, environmental, ) Idem + Best nitrogen management, soil protection and fertility, 4 Jean-Luc VERDIER, The place of sorghum in crop rotation in France

5 Density/m² Density/m² Yield (T/ha) Density/m² Yield (T/ha) SEEDING RATE PLANT DENSITY IS THE FIRST YIELD COMPONENT MANAGEABLE BY THE PRODUCER seeding rate Very early hybrid plants panicles yield 13 12, , ,5 10 9,5 9 8,5 8 7,5 7 6,5 6 5, seeding rate Mid early hybrid plants panicles yield 13 12, , ,5 10 9,5 9 8,5 8 7,5 7 6,5 6 5,5 5 5 Jean-Luc VERDIER, The place of sorghum in crop rotation in France

6 Late variety Early and mid early variety Very early variety SEEDING RATE SEEDING RATE MUST BE ADAPTED TO THE CONTEXT Plant objective (1000/ha)) Seeding rate in good conditions (1000/ha) A 325 to 370 B 370 to 430 A 270 to 320 B 320 to 380 A 250 to 300 B 300 to 360 A : Medium soil and without irrigation B : Deep soil or irrigation In good conditions, seeding rate must take into account 20% loss 6 Jean-Luc VERDIER, The place of sorghum in crop rotation in France

7 WEED MANAGEMENT Sorghum benefits in crop rotation : Lolium multiflorum Cirsium arvense Convolvulus arvensis In case of big problems in winter grain (herbicide résistance, heavy infestations). Insertion of summer crop like sorghum allow to decrease weed density. Effectives herbicides solutions avaible in sorghum is beneficial for the management of these weeds in crop rotation 7 Jean-Luc VERDIER, The place of sorghum in crop rotation in France

8 WEED MANAGEMENT Difficult weeds in sorghum : Panicum miliaceum Digitaria spp Echinochloa crus gali Sorghum halepense Setaria spp 8 Jean-Luc VERDIER, The place of sorghum in crop rotation in France

9 NON CHEMICAL WEED CONTROL False seed bed Weed harrow or rotary hoe Inter-row cultivator 9 Jean-Luc VERDIER, The place of sorghum in crop rotation in France

10 CHEMICAL WEED CONTROL Annual grass weeds : Residual herbicides S-metolachlor Only if seed safener S-metolachlor Dimethenamid-P Pendimethalin Residual and foliar herbicides Sulcotrione Penoxsulam 10 Jean-Luc VERDIER, The place of sorghum in crop rotation in France

11 CHEMICAL WEED CONTROL Broadleaf weeds: Contact foliar herbicides Bentazone Bromoxynil Systemic foliar herbicides 2,4D; clopyralid; fluroxypyr; prosulfuron; dicamba 2,4D : be careful ; do not apply after 8 leaves stage 11 Jean-Luc VERDIER, The place of sorghum in crop rotation in France

12 Yield (T ha) WATER EFFICIENCY 11 Grain sorghum water response is strongly linked to soil depth and water reserve 10 9 First points : without irrigation t ha / 10mm of irrigation High drough stress Low drough stress Water avaible between boot stage and physiologically maturity stage (mm) (soil supplies + rain + irrigation) 12 Jean-Luc VERDIER, The place of sorghum in crop rotation in France

13 SORGHUM HARVEST Grain water seed % content H2O (en %) Rain (mm) Grain desiccation Grain maturity Still green leaves (stay-green) Rain (mm) Grain water content (en %) % H2O seed 15 C cumul degree day base Cumulative degree day (base 6 C) Jean-Luc VERDIER, The place of sorghum in crop rotation in France

14 Jean-Luc VERDIER, The place of sorghum in crop rotation in France 14