AGRONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS VALUE OF SILAGES OF FIVE SORGHUM [Sorghum bicolor (L.) MOENCH] GENOTYPES CULTIVATED IN THE WINTER

The experiment was carried out in the Experimental farm of Unimontes in Janaúba, MG, Brazil, aimingat determining the agronomic characteristics of five sorghum genotypes cultivated in the winter. The materials usedwere Volumax, AG 2005E, Qualimax, BRS 610 and AG 2501. The planting was accomplished in random blocks designin field trial, with four replications per genotype. The agronomic characteristics were assessed by counting number ofplants ha-1, number of lodged plants, number of broken plants, plant height. Through weighting, green matter yield,dry matter yield and stem proportions, leaves and panicle were evaluated. The number of plants ha-1 was superior inthe genotype AG 2501 for being of the type cut and grazing. The average height values ranged from 1.63 to 2.40 m.Concerning GMY.ha-1 and DMY.ha-1 the highest production rates were observed for BRS 610, Volumax and AG 2005Egenotypes. AG 2005E overcame all the others in leaf percentage. Regarding number of panicle, BRS 610, AG 2005E,Volumax and Qualimax genotypes were similar overcoming AG 2501. The highest stem percentage was observedfor the genotype AG 2501. The DM contents were superior in the AG 2501, BRS 610 and AG 2005E genotypes.The studied genotypes presented good green mass production and also agronomic characteristics appropriated to theproduction of silages with good fermentative pattern when cultivated in the winter.