SORGHUM (Sorghum vulgare)

Husked seeds

Importance and grain composition:

The sorghum grain has a high energy content, low contents of crude protein (about 10%), fat (about 2.8%) and fibre (about 3%). Seeds of some varieties have higher contents of tannins which cause lower nutrient utilization. Tannins react with dietary proteins, digestive enuzymes and proteins in the intestinal mucosa. Grain from such varieties should not be used for feeding young poultry, in which it can cause the growth retardation. Young plants contain cyanogenic glycoside durrhin in green matter. Therefore sorghum can be harvested for green matter only after it achieves a certain height at which durrhin content drops, and there is no more risk of intoxication. According to ways of utilization, sorghum varieties can be divided into four groups:

Common sorghum (S. vulgare var. eusorghum) is grown mainly for grains. These are usually smaller height varieties.

Industrial sorghum (S.vulgare var. technicum) has a very well developed panicle from which brooms and brushes are made. Grains are a side product.

Sweet sorghum (S. vulgare var. saccharatum) has a juicy pulp even in biological maturity of grain. It is used for feeding, mainly for ensiling. Sometimes, juice is pressed from stalks, from which spirit, syrop, etc. are made.

Sorghum Sudan (S. vulgare var. sudanense) has thin stalks, abundant foliage and produces a large amount of green matter. It is used as a fodder crop for farm animals.

Cultivation requirements:

Sorghum is a thermophilic plant. An optimum temperature for growth is 25-33˚C. It is not very soil quality intensive and is resistant against drought. As a fodder crop, it has a similar position in the crop pattern as corn. In this country is grown just a little, because it has been forced out by corn.