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Sorghum

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Plants

                  iSorghum
         Scientific classification

   Kingdom:  Plantae
   Division: Magnoliophyta
   Class:    Liliopsida
   Order:    Poales
   Family:   Poaceae
   Genus:    Sorghum
             L.

                                   Species

   About 30 species, see text

   Sorghum is a genus of about 30 species of grasses raised for grain,
   native to tropical and subtropical regions of Eastern Africa, with one
   species native to Mexico. The plant is cultivated in Southern Europe,
   Central America, North America and Southern Asia. Other names include
   Durra, Egyptian Millet, Feterita, Guinea Corn, Jowar, Juwar, Milo,
   Shallu and Sudan Grass.

Origin

   Sorghum is a grass of East African origin, a drought-resistant,
   heat-tolerant member of the grass family.

   Although wild species of sorghum are attested as early as 8000 years
   ago in the Nilotic regions of southern Egypt and the Sudan, the
   location of its true domestication within East Africa is still
   speculative. It is widely held that genetic separation of domesticated
   S. bicolor from its progenitor did not occur much before 2000 years ago
   somewhere in East Africa, possibly the Ethiopian Highlands, but more
   likely further west. The presence of true domesticated S. bicolor is
   claimed much earlier than this (3700-4900 years ago) in India, Oman,
   and Yemen, although the identity of the remains as full domesticates is
   still disputed. It is well adapted to growth in hot, arid or semi-arid
   areas. The many subspecies are divided into four groups - grain
   sorghums (such as milo), grass sorghums (for pasture and hay), sweet
   sorghums (formerly called " Guinea corn", used to produce sorghum
   syrups), and broom corn (for brooms and brushes). The name "sweet
   sorghum" is used to identify varieties of sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.)
   Moench, that are sweet and juicy. A United States patent officer
   introduced sweet sorghum to America in 1853.

Cultivation and uses

   Sorghum is used for food, fodder, and the production of alcoholic
   beverages. It is drought tolerant and heat tolerant and is especially
   important in arid regions. It is an important food crop in Africa,
   Central America, and South Asia, and is the "fifth most important
   cereal crop grown in the world" . African slaves introduced sorghum
   into the U.S. in the early 17th century.

                                             Top Sorghum Producers - 2005
                                           (in million metric tons (MMT))
                                 Flag of United States  United States  9.8
                                                 Flag of India  India  8.0
                                             Flag of Nigeria  Nigeria  8.0
                                               Flag of Mexico  Mexico  6.3
                                                 Flag of Sudan  Sudan  4.2
                                         Flag of Argentina  Argentina  2.9
                            Flag of People's Republic of China  China  2.6
                                           Flag of Ethiopia  Ethiopia  1.8
                                         Flag of Australia  Australia  1.7
                                               Flag of Brazil  Brazil  1.5
                                                          World Total 58.6
                                                                  Source:
                                UN Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO)

   The FAO reports that 440,000 square kilometres were devoted worldwide
   to sorghum production in 2004. In the US, sorghum grain is used
   primarily as a maize substitute for livestock feed because their
   nutritional values are very similar. Some hybrids commonly grown for
   feed have been developed to deter birds, and therefore contain a high
   concentration of tannins and phenolic compounds, which causes the need
   for additional processing to allow the grain to be digested by cattle.
   In arid, less developed regions of the world sorghum is an important
   food crop especially for subsistence farmers. It is used to make such
   foods as couscous, sorghum flour, porridge and molasses.

   Bhakri, a variety of unleavened bread made from sorghum, is the staple
   diet in many parts of India such as Maharashtra and northern Karnataka.
   Bhakri is also sometimes made out of millet (" Bajari" in Marathi)
   flour.

   In China, sorghum is the most important ingredient for the production
   of distilled beverages such as Maotai and kaoliang, as seen in the film
   Red Sorghum.

   In the cuisine of the Southern United States, sorghum syrup is used as
   a sweet condiment, usually for biscuits, corn bread, pancakes, hot
   cereals or baked beans. It was used as the unavailable maple syrup is
   used in the North, although it is uncommon today.

   Sorghum straw (stem fibres) can also be made into excellent wall board
   for house building, as well as biodegradable packaging. It does not
   accumulate static electricity, so it is also being used in packaging
   materials for sensitive electronic equipment.

   Little research has been done to improve sorghum cultivars because the
   vast majority of sorghum production is done by subsistence farmers. The
   crop is therefore mostly limited by insects, disease and weeds, rather
   than by the plant’s inherent ability. To improve the plant’s viability
   in sustaining populations in drought prone areas, a larger capital
   investment would be necessary to control plant pests and ensure optimum
   planting and harvesting practices.

   Recently, however, the US Congress passed the Renewable Fuels Standard,
   with the goal of producing 30 billion litres (8 billion gallons) of
   renewable fuel (ethanol) annually by 2012. This bill should noticeably
   increase the demand for ethanol producing crops for at least the next
   decade. Sorghum produces the same amount of ethanol per unit as maize,
   therefore in hot areas where sorghum can out-produce maize this bill
   should result in an increase in grain sorghum cultivation. Sorghum
   growers are hoping that this will create just the market they need to
   take off with production. Currently, 12% of grain sorghum production in
   the US is used to make ethanol, and growers are hoping for an increase.

   Sorghum was used in Italian folk religions by the malevolent witches
   that fought the Benandanti.

Sorghum and beer

   In Nigeria, Lesotho and South Africa, sorghum is used to produce beer,
   including the local version of Guinness. In recent years, sorghum has
   been used as a substitute for other grain in gluten free beer. Although
   the African versions are not " gluten free", as malt extract is also
   used, truly gluten free beer using such substitutes such as sorghum or
   buckwheat are now available. Sorghum is used in the same way as barley
   to produce a " malt" that can form the basis of a mash that will brew a
   beer without gliadin or hordein (together " gluten") and therefore can
   be suitable for coeliacs or others sensitive to certain glycoproteins.

Growing grain sorghum

   Sorghum requires an average temperature of at least 25 °C to produce
   maximum grain yields in a given year. Maximum photosynthesis is
   achieved at daytime temperatures of at least 30 °C. Night time
   temperatures below 13 °C for more than a few days can severely impact
   the plant’s potential grain production. Sorghum cannot be planted until
   soil temperatures have reached 17 °C. The long growing season, usually
   90–120 days, causes yields to be severely decreased if plants are not
   in the ground early enough.

   Grain Sorghum is usually planted with a commercial corn seeder at a
   depth of 2–5 cm, depending on the density of the soil (shallower in
   heavier soil). The goal in planting, when working with fertile soil, is
   50,000 to 300,000 plants per hectare. Therefore, with an average
   emergence rate of 75%, sorghum should be planted at a rate of 2–12 kg
   of seed per hectare.

   It has been found that yields can be boosted by 10-15% when optimum use
   of moisture and sunlight are obtained by planting in 25 cm rows instead
   of the conventional 1 m rows. Sorghum, in general is a very competitive
   crop, and does well in competition with weeds in narrow rows. However,
   herbicides are still required to control the weed problem so that the
   plants produce an economically viable crop of grain.

   Insect and diseases are not prevalent in sorghum crops. Birds, however,
   are a major source of yield loss. Hybrids with higher tannin content
   and growing the crop in large field blocks are solutions used to combat
   the birds. The crop may also be attacked by corn earworms, aphids, and
   some Lepidoptera larvae including Turnip Moth.

   It is a very high nitrogen feeding crop. An average hectare producing
   6.3 tonnes of grain yield requires 110 kg of nitrogen, but relatively
   small amounts of phosphorus and potassium (15 kg of each).

   Sorghum’s growth habit is similar to that of maize, but with more side
   shoots and a more extensively branched root system. The root system is
   very fibrous, and can extend to a depth of up to 1.2 m. The plant finds
   75% of its water in the top metre of soil, and because of this, in dry
   areas, the plant’s production can be severely affected by the water
   holding capacity of the soil. The plants require up to 70–100 mm of
   moisture every 10 days in early stages of growth, and as sorghum
   progresses through growth stages and the roots penetrate more deeply
   into the soil to tap into hidden water reserves, the plant needs
   progressively less water. By the time the seed heads are filling,
   optimum water conditions are down to about 50 mm every 10 days.
   Compacted soil or shallow topsoil can limit the plants ability to deal
   with drought by limiting its root system. Since these plants are
   designed to grow in hot, dry areas, it is essential that the soil is
   kept from compacting and that they are grown on land with ample
   cultivated topsoil.

   Wild species of sorghum tend to grow to a height of 1.5–2 m; however,
   due to problems this height created when the grain was being harvested,
   in recent years cultivars with genes for dwarfism have been selected,
   resulting in sorghum that grows to between 60 and 120 cm tall.

   Sorghum's yields are not affected by short periods of drought as
   severely as other crops such as maize because it develops its seed
   heads over longer periods of time, and short periods of water stress do
   not usually have the ability to prevent kernel development. Even in a
   long drought severe enough to hamper sorghum production, it will still
   usually produce some seed on smaller and fewer seed heads. Rarely will
   you find a kernelless season for sorghum, even under the most adverse
   water conditions. Sorghum's ability to thrive with less water than
   maize may be due to its ability to hold water in its foliage better
   than maize. Sorghum has a waxy coating on its leaves and stems which
   helps to keep water in the plant even in intense heat.
   Sorghum bicolor
   Enlarge
   Sorghum bicolor

Species

     * Sorghum almum
     * Sorghum amplum
     * Sorghum angustum
     * Sorghum arundinaceum
     * Sorghum bicolor
     * Sorghum brachypodum
     * Sorghum bulbosum
     * Sorghum burmahicum
     * Sorghum controversum
     * Sorghum drummondii
     * Sorghum ecarinatum
     * Sorghum exstans
     * Sorghum grande
     * Sorghum halepense
     * Sorghum interjectum
     * Sorghum intrans
     * Sorghum laxiflorum
     * Sorghum leiocladum
     * Sorghum macrospermum
     * Sorghum matarankense
     * Sorghum miliaceum
     * Sorghum nitidum
     * Sorghum plumosum
     * Sorghum propinquum
     * Sorghum purpureosericeum
     * Sorghum stipoideum
     * Sorghum timorense
     * Sorghum trichocladum
     * Sorghum versicolor
     * Sorghum virgatum
     * Sorghum vulgare

Hybrids

     * Sorghum × almum
     * Sorghum × drummondii

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorghum"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
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