LIGHT INTERCEPTION, LEAF-AREA INDEX AND DRY-MATTER YIELD IN FODDER SORGHUM AT DIFFERENT PLANT-POPULATIONS

Fodder sorghum (M.P. Chari) was grown at varying populations to examin e its influence on light interception, leaf area index and biomass pro duction. DMY, CGR and IPAR depending on LAI reached maximum at LAI 5 o f 150 000 plants ha(-1) stand and thus yielded higher biomass. Therefo re, physiological potential of fodder sorghum crop was found to be max imum at a population density of 150 000 plants ha(-1). Further increas es in population developed mutual shading and adversely affected the c rop growth rate and dry matter accumulation. Significant linear relati onships of dry matter yield with IPAR, plant population densities, LAI and CGR clearly indicate the interdependence of these characters.