EFFECT OF PENTAKEEP-V ON THE EVAPOTRANSPIRATION AND YIELD OF SORGHUM HYBRIDS, MONITORED IN PRECISION WEIGHING LYSIMETERS

Pentakeep-V is a special foliar fertilizer containing the precursor of chlorophyll synthesis, namely 5-aminolevulin acid (5-ALA). The effect of PV on water balance of the soil is not known, therefore an experiment was set up in precision weighing lysimeters to determine the evapotranspiration of three sorghum hybrids. We could not figure out a significant transpiration moderating effect of PV, but detected a positive effect on the yields. Furthermore the higher transpiration was accompanied by more effective utilization of water. The water use efficiency index proved to be better in most cases, PV-treated hybrids needed 10 – 30 mm less water to generate 1 kg biomass compared to the untreated controls.