Effect of intercropping and nitrogen levels on growth of multicut fodder sorghum varieties

Field experiments were conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during rabi 2004 and summer 2005 to study the growth of multicut fodder sorghum varieties as influenced by intercropping and different nitrogen regimes. Variety Harasona recorded higher plant height and leaf area index in three ratooning, while variety CO 27 gave taller plants only in sown crop and registered higher leaf : stem ratio. Maximum stem diameter was produced by the variety MFSH-3. Intercropping of sorghum+cowpea resulted in increased growth parameters than sole cropping of sorghum. Leaf : stem ratio was not influenced significantly by the system of cropping. Application of 60 kg N/ha after each cutting recorded increased growth parameters except leaf : stem ratio.