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† Corresponding author 
© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

 

STOVER YIELD AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION IN SOME SORGHUM 

VARIETIES IN GADARIF STATE, SUDAN 

 

Asma H. M. Hamed1* --- Selma O. Abbas2 --- Khalafalla A. Ali3 --- Mohmed E. 

Elimam4 

 
1Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Gadarif, Gadarif, Sudan 

2Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries, Gadarif State, Sudan 

3Gadarif Research Station, Agricultural Research Corporation, Gadarif State, Sudan 

 4Goat Research Centre, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Gezira, Wad Medani, Sudan 

 

ABSTRACT 

An experiment was conducted at the faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences farm, University 

of Gadarif, Gadarif State, Sudan to evaluate dry matter yield and nutritive value of the stover of four local 

sorghum varieties (Bashier, Zahratelgadambalia, Butana and Arfagadamac). Dry matter yield, 

morphological traits and chemical composition were determined. There were significant (P<0.05) 

differences in dry matter yield and other morphological traits among varieties. Zahratelgadambalia had the 

highest dry matter yield (2520 kg/fed) and was 100%, 31% and 19% higher than Bashier, Butana and 

Arfagadamac varieties, respectively. It also had the highest stem height, stem weight and least in stem 

thickness. Arfagadamac was next to Zahratelgadambalia in dry matter yield and had the highest stem 

thickness. Butana was less productive than Zahratelgadambalia and Arfagadamac, but not significantly. 

Bashier was inferior to all varieties in dry matter yield and had the highest leaf: stem. Dry matter yield had 

a highly significant positive correlation with plant height (0.999) and positive correlation with stem weight 

(0.553), number of leaves/ plant and leaves weight. There were significant variations in chemical 

composition among sorghum varieties. Acid detergent fibre (ADF) was 46.4- 70.0%, neutral detergent 

fibre (NDF) was 59.9 - 79.3% and lignin was 9.2-13.5%. Butana variety stover had the least NDF and 

ADF among the four varieties. This indicated it was better in chemical composition and expected to be 

better in nutritive value unless other factors were not involved like anti nutritional factors. 

Keywords: Sorghum varieties, Stover, Dry matter yield, Morphological traits, Fibre fraction, Sudan. 

 

Received: 30 January 2015/ Revised: 6 April 2015/ Accepted: 11 April 2015/ Published: 15 April 2016 

 

Animal Review 
2015 Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 68-75 
ISSN(e): 2409-6490 
ISSN(p): 2412-3382 
DOI: 10.18488/journal.ar/2015.2.3/101.3.68.75 
© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

 
 

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Contribution/ Originality 

This study is one of very few studies which have investigated the nutritive value and dry 

matter yield of local sorghum varieties in Gadarif State, the most important region for sorghum 

production in Sudan. It contributes to the existing literature in the analysis of correlation 

between morphological traits and dry matter yield. 

 

1. INTRODUCTION 

Gadarif State is in the Butana plain in eastern Sudan and is one of the main rain fed 

agriculture areas in the country. Sorghum, millet and sesame are important crops in the state. 

Crops and animal production are very important in the state and are generally integrated. Animal 

production role is increasing in the state due to high livestock population, reputed breeds and 

closeness to main markets in the country and abroad. Adequate nutrition is essential for optimum 

animal production [1]. Nutrition is one of the main constraints for animal production in Gadarif 

State as animals are mainly reared in traditional systems based on rangeland which deteriorated 

for many factors including reduced area due to haphazard agricultural expansion [2, 3], reduced 

rainfall, successive droughts and poor management. In addition seasonal variations in rainfall 

were associated with seasonal variations in feeds quantity and quality and serious feeds shortages 

and effects on animals’ health and performance, especially in the dry season [4] as in the tropics 

[5, 6]. Crop residues are cheap and abundant in the state and used to fill the nutritional gap in the 

dry season [4]. However, they generally have low nutritive value due to high CF and low CP, 

digestibility and feed intake and hence animals performance.  

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor(L.)Moench) is an important crop in Sudan and the country ranked 

8th in world sorghum grain production producing 3.5 million Metric Tons [7]. It is the main crop 

in the state and about 5-6 million feddans (2.1-2.52 ha) are cultivated annually. Grain and stover 

yield are important traits for improving rabi sorghum varieties and hybrids in India [8]. It is 

claimed that limited adoption of improved sorghum varieties was mainly due to crop residues 

lower nutritive value and farmers believe that improved cultivars stover yield and quality are 

lower than local cultivars [9]. Grain yield was higher in improved cultivars and stover yield was 

similar or higher than local cultivars [10]. In addition in vitro digestibility was higher in 

improved cultivars than the local ones. There were significant differences among cultivars in 

grain and stover yield, digestibility, CP and minerals in Botswana [11]. Sorghum varieties varied 

significantly (p<0.01) in fresh and DM yields [12].  Highly significant genotype-dependent 

variation was found in sorghum grain and stover yield and fodder value [13]. Grain yield and 

stover quality were not inversely related and high grain and stover yields seem to be compatible 

traits. There were variations in cellulose, lignin and NDF, rumen degradation, digestibility and 

feed intake among sorghum stover whole plant, stem and leaves and were different from Lablab in 

Nigeria [14]. There may be significant differences among sorghum cultivars in the stover 

concentration of structural and nonstructural carbohydrates and relative proportions of cellulose, 

hemicellulose and lignin [15]. In addition there is increasing interest in bioenergy and 

converting lignocellulosic biomass to energy products via enzymatic or thermochemical 



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© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

conversion [16]. Many sorghum varieties are used in Gadarif State and the main ones in 

traditional Feterita are Arfagadmac,  Abdalla Mustafa and Korkol. Some sorghum varieties such 

as Bashier, Butana, Zahratelgdambalia and Arfagadamac produce huge amounts of residues. It is 

important to conduct comparative studies to evaluate different cultivars. Asma Hamed [4] 

studied Arfagadamac stover nutritive value and effects on goat performance in Gadarif State. 

There is no available information on many sorghum varieties stover yield, nutritive value, fibre 

fraction, plants morphological characteristics and their correlation with dry matter yield in 

Gadarif State, Consequently, this study was conducted to determine sorghum varieties stover 

yield, fibre fraction, morphological traits and their correlations in four sorghum varieties in 

Gadarif State. 

 

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS 

2.1. Study Area  

The experiment was conducted in the animal production farm, Faculty of Agricultural and 

Environmental Sciences, Gadarif University in Gadarif, Gadarif State, Sudan. Gadarif lies in the 

eastern part of Sudan at latitudes 12o 40'-15o 45' N and longitudes 33o 34'-37o1' E. Mean 

maximum temperature is 40.7 o C in April. Autumn extends from July to October and average 

annual rainfall is 602 mm. Many crops are cultivated in the area including sorghum, sesame and 

millet. 

 

2.1.1. Stover Sampling, Yield and Morphological Traits 

Sorghum stover was collected from four sorghum varieties grown in the farm in 2010 

autumn including Bashier, Zahratelgadambalia, Butana and Arfagadamac. They were laid in a 

completely randomized design (CRD) with three replicates. The field was divided into three plots 

for each variety and ten samples were collected at random from each plot using a 1m2 sampler for 

dry mater yield estimation. Sorghum stover was cut at the ground level. Three plants were 

selected at random from each plot to collect data on plant height (cm), number of leaves, stem 

thickness (cm), stem dry weight, leaves weight and leaf: stem. 

 

2.2. Laboratory Analysis 

Samples of sorghum stover were prepared for laboratory analysis by milling through 2mm 

screen.  Neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and lignin were determined 

according to Goering and Van Soest [17]. 

 

2.3. Statistical Analysis 

    Data were analyzed by analysis of variance for a completely randomized design using MSTAT 

procedure [18]. The means were compared using least significant differences (LSD). Simple 

correlation coefficients were estimated.  

 

 



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71 

© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

3. RESULTS 

3.1. Morphological Traits and DM Yield   

Table 1 shows sorghum varieties stover morphological traits and DM yield in Gadarif State.  

Plants height, stem thickness, leaves weight, stem weight, number of leaves /plant, leaf stem 

and DM yield varied significantly (P<0.05) among sorghum varieties. Zahratelgadambalia was 

significantly (P < 0.001) the highest plant and Butana was the shortest one. Stem thickness was 

highest in Arfagadamac and was significantly (P<0.01) lowest in Zahratelgadambalia. Leaves 

weight was significantly (P< 0.05) higher in Bashier and lowest in Arfagadamac with no 

significant differences between Bashier and Zahratelgadambalia. Stem weight was significantly 

(P<0.001) higher in Zahratelgadambalia and lowest in Butana. Number of leaves/plant was 

significantly (P<0.05) higher in Arfagadamac than Butana and Bashier, but not significantly 

different from Zahratelgadambalia. Leaf: stem varied significantly (P<0.001) among varieties.  and 

was highest in Bashier and least in Zahratelgadambalia.  

Sorghum varieties varied significantly (P<0.05) in DM yield and was highest in 

Zahratelgadambalia and lowest in Bashier. Zahratelgadambalia DM yield was 100%, 31% and 19% 

higher than Bashier, Butana and Arfagadamac varieties, respectively.                                     

     

3.2. Correlations between Morphological Traits and Dry Matter Yield    

The correlation coefficients between morphological traits and dry matter yield are shown in 

table 2. Dry matter yield had highly significant positive correlation with plant height and positive 

correlation with stem weight, number of leaves/ plant and leaves weight. Highly significant 

negative correlation was observed between DM yield and leaf: stem. There was a negative and 

non significant correlation between DM yield and stem thickness among the varieties under 

study.  

 

3.3. Fibre Fractions 

Table 3 shows fibre fractions in sorghum varieties stover in Gadarif State.: 

There were significant (P<0.05) variations among sorghum varieties in stover ADF, NDF, 

Lignin, cellulose and hemicelluloses. Acid detergent fibre and NDF were highest in Arfagadamac 

and lowest in Butana. Lignin was highest in Zahratelgadambalia and lowest in Arfagadamac. 

Cellulose was highest in Arfagadamac and lowest in Butana. Hemicellulose was highest in Bashier 

and lowest in Zahratelgadambalia.  

  

4. DISCUSSION 

4.1. Morphological Traits and DM Yield   

The significant differences among sorghum varieties in stover morphological traits including 

plant height, stem thickness, leaves weight, stem weight, number of leaves/plant and leaf: stem 

were mainly genetical. Similar results were found by many workers [10, 19].  

The variations among sorghum varieties in DM yield were mainly genetical. Similar 

variations in sorghum varieties stover yield were reported by many workers [11, 12, 20].   



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4.2. Correlations between Morphological Traits and Dry Matter Yield 

The significant positive correlations between DM yield and plant height, stem weight, 

number of leaves/ plant and weight of leaves were similar to that reported in Napier grass [21]. 

Dry matter yield was also highly positively correlated with stem fresh weight, number of leaves, 

plant height and stem thickness [21]. Significant correlations between plant height and green 

fodder yield and indirect effect on dry fodder yield were also reported by Lyanar Vijyakumar and 

Fazllullahkhan [22]. Significant correlations were also found among sorghum morphological 

traits with stover yield in Nigeria [23] The positive correlation between plant height in green 

fodder and DM yield and positive correlation between green fodder yield and DM yield was also 

reported for pearl millet [24]. Leaf number had significant positive correlation with plant height 

and stover weight [23]. Plant height had significant positive correlation with leaf number and 

stover weight and negatively correlated with total grain yield. Stover weight had significant 

positive correlation with leaf number, leaf length and plant height.  

 

4.3. Fibre Fractions 

The significant variations among sorghum varieties stover in ADF, NDF, lignin, cellulose 

and hemicelluloses were mainly genetical. Similar variations in stover structural carbohydrates 

were reported in sorghum varieties in Texas, USA [20]. Neutral detergent fibre, ADF and lignin 

in sorghum stover were within the range reported by many authors [4, 25, 26]. Butana variety 

stover had the least NDF and ADF and was expected to have better nutritive value. Sorghum 

stover in Nigeria had higher NDF than the varieties in Gadarif State, except Arfagadamac. Lignin 

was higher than Zahratelgadambalia and Butana varieties [14]. Cellulose was higher than 

Zahratelgadambalia and Bashier. 

 

5. CONCLUSIONS 

Sorghum varieties differed in DM yield and fibre fractions. Dry matter yield was highest in 

Zahratelgadambalia and lowest in Basheir. Dry matter yield had highly significant positive 

correlation with plant height and positive correlations with stem weight, number of leaves/plant 

and weight of leaves. Butana had the highest CP (6%) and lowest crude fibre (25.0%) and 

Arfagadamac had the highest CF (37.0%). 

 

Funding: This study received no specific financial support. 
 

Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests. 
 

Contributors/Acknowledgement: All authors contributed equally to the conception and design of the study.  

 

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Table-1. Different sorghum varieties stover morphological traits and dry matter yield in Gadarif State, Sudan. 
DM yield 
(kg/fed)  

Leaf:stem   Leaves / 
plant  

Stem 
Weight(g)  

 Leaves 
weight   
(g) 

Stem 
thickness(cm) 

Height 
(cm) 

 Varieties/ 
Parameters 

1260b 0.504a 3.33c 22.17b 11.13a 4.30b 84.78c Bashier 
2520a 0.254d 4.33ab 40.1a 10.17Ab 3.28c 136.7a Zahratelgadambalia 

1918ab 0.459b 4.10bc 21.3b 9.63b 4.67b 70.7c Butana 
2114a 0.403c 5.05a 21.9b 8.77b 5.63a 095.0b Arfagadamac 

22.44 5.01 11.83 3.52 7.97 10.42 8.17 C.V 
174.6 0.03 0.22 2.40 0.23 0.28 7.67 S.E. 

 

Means with different superscripts in the same column are significantly (p < 0.05) different. 
SE= Standard error of the mean; C.V= Coefficient of variation. Feddan=0.42 ha 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Table-2. The correlation coefficients among stover morphological traits and with dry matter yield in different sorghum  
varieties  in Gadarif State, Sudan. 

DMY LSR WL NL/P SW ST PH Parameters 

0.999** -0.995* 0.087 0.94 0.512 -0.70 -                 PH 
-0.734 0.771 0.650 -0.902 -0.972* -  ST 
0.553 -0.599 -0.811 0.774 -   SW 
0.955 -0.97* -0.258 -    NL/P 
0.039 0.017 -     WL 
-0.998** -      LSR 

-       DMY 
 

 *= Significant at P<0.05; **= Highly significant at P<0.01  
PH= Plant height; ST= Stem thickness;   SW= Stem weight; NL/P= Number of leaves / plant, WL = weight of leaves; LSR= Leaf:   
stem; DMY= Dry matter yield 

 
Table-3. Fibre fractions in different sorghum varieties stover in Gadarif State, Sudan. 

 
C.V 

  
S.E. 

 
Arfagadamac 

 
Butana 

Sorghum varieties         
Zahratelgadambalia 

 
Bashier 

 Parameter 
 

0.02 3.07 70.0a 46.4d 67.4b 51.0c ADF 
0.02 2.32 79.3a 59.9d 74.6b 64.8c NDF 
0.08 0.46 9.2d 11.3b 13.5a 10.9c Lignin 
0.01 3.11 60.7a 35.1d 53.9b 40.2c Cellulose 
0.15 0.84 09.3c 13.5b 07.2d 13.8a Hemicellulose 

 

     NDF= Neutral detergent fibre ; ADF= Acid detergent fibre; S.E.= Standard error of mean; C.V= Coefficient of variation. 
     Means with different superscripts in the same row are significantly different at p<0.05;  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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