FEATURES OF SUGAR SORGHUM PRODUCTIVITY FORMATION UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF THE WESTERN REGION OF UKRAINE

Abstract

Sweet sorghum is currently a popular forage and bioenergy crop worldwide. Its high value lies in its ability to withstand drought conditions and grow in poor soils, making it an extremely promising crop in the context of climate change. In Ukraine, sweet sorghum is actively used for silage production, green biomass generation, and as a raw material for obtaining molasses and ethanol.The article presents the results of studies on the impact of different fertilization options on the productivity of sugar sorghum under the conditions of the Western region of Ukraine. The research was conducted at the experimental field of the Department of Forestry and Agricultural Management at Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University. The study used field, laboratory, mathematical, statistical, and calculation methods.It was established that the climatic conditions of the years under study differed significantly in terms of moisture availability. Specifically, in 2023, there was an excess of the long-term average precipitation, which contributed to stable plant growth, while in 2024, the amount of precipitation was below the norm, which influenced the dynamics of crop development.The impact of agronomic measures, including the application of mineral fertilizer N30P30K30, the growth regulator Black Jack KS, and the micronutrient fertilizer Intermag Titan, on growth, biometric indicators, and green biomass yield of sugar sorghum was analyzed. It was found that plant height is an important indicator of the crop’s adaptation to growing conditions and the level of agrochemical support.The most favorable weather conditions were observed in 2023, which contributed to the maximum plant height of the Favorit variety. In 2024, which was characterized by unfavorable weather conditions during the sowing period, the height of plants of the same variety was 4.6 cm lower and amounted to 215.8 cm.In the control variant, the green biomass yield of sugar sorghum during the study period was 56,2 t/ha. The use of the growth regulator Black Jack KS increased the yield to 60,2 t/ha, which was 6.6% higher than the control and 3,0% higher than the variant with mineral fertilizer application.Treatment with the micronutrient fertilizer Intermag Titan increased the yield to 61,5 t/ha, exceeding the control by 5,3 t/ha. The maximum yield of 63,2 t/ha was recorded with the combined application of the N30P30K30 fertilizer and Intermag Titan micronutrient, providing an 11,1% increase compared to the control. A high result was also achieved in the variant with combined use of N30P30K30 and Black Jack KS – 63,2 t/ha.The obtained results indicate the high potential of sugar sorghum as a crop capable of providing stable yield indicators under different weather conditions, provided that the elements of cultivation technology are optimized.