Impact of irrigation and nitrogen management on crop performance, yield and economics of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) in Kandahar region of Afghanistan

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] stands as a versatile cereal, serving various purposes including grain and forage. In Afghanistan, it predominantly thrives in the eastern and northern regions. Notably, nitrogen (N) emerges as the most deficient nutrient in Afghan soils. Given this context, determining the optimal N requirement becomes paramount to establish application rates for enhanced biomass production. Sorghum, characterized as a C4 plant, exhibits noteworthy traits in biomass yield and N utilization efficiency (Gardner et al. 1994). Effective nitrogen management not only impacts crop yield but also augments its overall quality (Mahmud et al. 2003, Meena et al. 2023). The application of nitrogen fertilizer is known to raise sucrose content, protein percentage and growth rate in sweet sorghum. To get good yield of sorghum, proper irrigation scheduling at critical stages like tillering, flowering and grain formation are very crucial. In summer/ kharif season, it requires 1 to 3 irrigations depending upon rainfall. Over time, a combination of biotic and abiotic factors, along with shifts in consumption trends and demand, has led to a consistent reduction in both cultivated area and grain production. Consequently, this research aimed to assess the sorghum's performance in terms of crop growth, yield and farm profitability. This evaluation was conducted under varying irrigation schedules and nitrogen management approaches in the Kandahar region of Afghanistan.