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Research on Crops

 Impact of ethephon on physiological attributes chlorophyll content and yield of different sorghum cultivars​ 


DOI: 10.31830/2348-7542.2026.ROC-1356    | Article Id: ROC-1356 | Page : 478-485
Citation :- Impact of ethephon on physiological attributes chlorophyll content and yield of different sorghum cultivars​. Res. Crop. 27: 478-485
FADIA FOUAD SALEH, SAJA JAWAD SHNAISHEL BADAY AND ZEYAD A. ABDULHAMED saja.jawad2106p@coagri.uobaghdad.edu.iq
Address : Department of Desertification Combat, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
Submitted Date : 3-07-2026
Accepted Date : 31-08-2026
Online Published:

Abstract

Physiological performance Improving because of its effect on productivity in sorghum on using of plant growth regulators has gathered considerable attention in recent years, especially in developing field crop yields. Ethephon, which is considered an ethylene-releasing compound, has a vital role in regulating many important physiological processes which affect synthesis of chlorophyll, efficiency of photosynthetic, growth of plant, and yield development, finally leading to an increase of production. While genetic variations through sorghum varieties may result in different responses to the use of ethephon, depending on the amount and the genetic susceptibility of the varieties. According to above, an experiment in field was performed on spring (10 April) and autumn (14 July) seasons in 2025 in farms field on the left side of Euphrates River, at Anbar Governorate, Iraq, to study the effects of three ethephon concentrations (0, 150, and 300 mg/L) on the grain growth and yield of three sorghum varieties (Rabeh, Lilo, and Inqat). The experiment was set out in a randomized complete block design using three replications, and treatment means were also compared using the least significant difference test at the 5% probability level. Results revealed that, application of ethephon at 300 mg/L accelerated physiological maturity while improving chlorophyll content and grain yield in both seasons. The Inqath cultivar recorded the highest chlorophyll content, grains per head, and grain yield, with the Inqath×300 mg/L treatment producing the maximum grain yield. Principal component analysis revealed a strong association of grain yield with chlorophyll content and grains per head, indicating that 300 mg/L ethephon is the optimum concentration for enhancing sorghum productivity.

Keywords

Crop productivity ethylene plant growth retardants sorghum responses varieties 

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