Factors affecting the hydrogen cyanide potential of forage sorghum.

Abstract

The effect of seven factors, namely genotype, plant maturity, nitrogen fertilizer, phosphorus fertilizer, water stress, light intensity and temperature, on the hydrogen cyanide potential (HCNp) of forage sorghum was studied in three pot experiments. Fivefold differences occurred between genotypes in HCNp, with a breeder's line, X45106, selected for low HCNp having a maximum of 520 mg HCN kg-1 DM (dry matter) compared with 2300 and 2450 mg kg-1 DM for cvs Zulu and Silk respectively. In X45 106, HCNp (mg HCN kg-1 DM) declined curvilinearly with age d (days from sowing) (HCNp=8460- 320d+ 3.1d2) and linearly in Silk (HCNp = 9020 - 110d), but the decline in Zulu was not statistically significant. Nitrogen (equivalent to 200 kg ha-1 of N) increased HCN, (P< 0.001), but more so in full light (100 mg kg-1 compared with 1430 mg kg-1) than in 50% shade (190 mg kg-1 compared with 690 mg kg-1). In one experiment, acute water stress appeared to reduce HCNp, but this was confounded with the strong decline due to aging. In another study, acute water stress had no effect on HCNp. Neither the application of superphosphate nor change in light intensity, nor change in temperature had a direct significant effect on HCNp in these studies. Breeding and selection for low HCNp appears a promising approach to ensuring that sorghum plants will provide non-toxic forage from an early stage of growth.