Assessment of the Elements of the Sudan Grass Cultivation Technology in the Zone of Dry Steppes

Abstract

Sudan grass (Sorghum Sudanese (Piper.) Stapf) is the most productive, drought-resistant and promising crop for the dry-steppe zone of Western Kazakhstan. In this regard, in order to ensure an uninterrupted supply of livestock with feed raw materials, studies devoted to improving the elements of the Sudan grass cultivation technology in the conditions of the region are relevant. During the studies, various terms of sowing with the interval of 10 days were studied, along with the terms of collecting green fodder, haylage and hay in various development phases - before the ear formation phase, at the beginning of the ear formation phase and in the flowering phase, as well as the grazing conditions of using Sudan grass. The results of the scientific studies have shown that for the conditions of the region, it is important to choose the optimal terms for both sowing and harvesting. On average for the years of the research, the yield of the dry mass of Sudan grass at various terms of sowing has amounted to 17.88-22.06 c/ha, while the highest productivity of 22.06 c/ha has been noted in the case of the early first term of sowing. In studying the terms of harvesting, a high yield of the dry mass of Sudan grass (21.38 c/ha) has been noted in the case of harvesting the grass stands in the phase of flowering. In the pasture conditions in the studied area, in the total over four grazings, Sudan grass has formed 16.97 c/ha of dry mass. The results of the study have been used by farmers for cultivating Sudan grass in the dry-steppe zone of Western Kazakhstan for providing full-fledged fodder for livestock breeding.