Nitrogen dynamics and physiological N use efficiency in high‐biomass sorghum

Abstract Improving nitrogen (N) efficiency is essential for sustainable high‐biomass sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) production. This study evaluated leaf and stem N dynamics, canopy N remobilization, and physiological nitrogen use efficiency (pNUE) in two photoperiod‐sensitive sorghum hybrids under two N rates (0 and 168 kg‐N ha −1 ) across multiple environments in Texas and Illinois. Leaf N concentrations increased with plant height in the canopy with steeper gradients under low‐N conditions, indicating enhanced N remobilization when N is limited. Stem tissue showed less variation in N concentration across canopy nodal positions, with within‐plant differences ranging from 1.2 to 7.6 g kg −1 , compared to 3.1 to 16.3 g kg −1 in leaves. While pNUE was generally higher under unfertilized conditions, it varied largely by site; however, genotypic differences were minimal within the given year. These results highlight the importance of integrating environmental and management factors into breeding and fertilization strategies to enhance N efficiency in high‐biomass sorghum.