TY - JA AU - Chiduza,C. AU - Waddington,S.R. AU - Rukuni,M. TI - Evaluation of sorghum technologies for smallholders in a semi-arid region of Zimbabwe (Part II): sorghum varieties against fertilizer trials SN - 1019-7788 PY - 1995/// CY - Zimbabwe PB - University of Zimbabwe Publications KW - Arid zones KW - Crop management KW - AGROVOC KW - Cropping systems KW - Deficiency diseases KW - Drought KW - Fertilizer application KW - Injurious factors KW - Phosphate fertilizers KW - Sorghum bicolor KW - Trials KW - Zimbabwe KW - Nitrogen fertilizers N1 - Peer review N2 - Three on-farm experiments were conducted during 1984/85, 1985/86 and 1986/87 seasons in Siabuwa (Zimbabwe), to test early maturing sorghum varieties SV-2 and 321CR with fertilizer use as possible solutions to production problems faced by farmers growing Balala variety. Varieties SV-2 and 321CR produced higher yields than Balala (by an average of 62 per cent) in the three seasons at farmers' levels of inputs and management. Farmer evaluation of the taste of porridge from sorghum grain showed a high preference for SV-2 and 321CR compared to Balala. Fertilizer application at 50 kg nitrogen per ha and 12 kg phosphorus per ha appreciably raised the grain yield of Balala sorghum and SV-2 and 321CR varieties on vertisols, siallitic clays and sandy loam soils in average and above average rainfall years (1984/85 by 37 per cent and 1985/86 by 60 per cent) but not in 1986/87, a dry year. However, fertilizer use was not economic in the three seasons. It was concluded that SV-2 and 321CR are useful additions to the range of sorghum varieties available to farmers in Siabuwa UR - https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12665/802 DO - https://doi.org/10.4314/jassa.v1i1.16847 T2 - Journal of Applied Science in Southern Africa ER -