Sorghum is a little-known crop that has taken its rightful place among the major agricultural cereals over the past ten years. During the selection process, the plant absorbed many valuable substances. It retains its usefulness potential due to its undemanding nature and good yield. At the same time, many are interested in the types and varieties of sorghum, its cultivation and harvesting, application, and beneficial properties of the plant.
Description of the plant
Sorghum is an annual or perennial cereal plant that belongs to the category of spring crops.East Africa is considered its homeland. The crop began to be grown there in the fourth century BC.
In terms of global production volumes, sorghum ranks fifth. The popularity of the plant is associated with its low maintenance requirements, high yield and beneficial properties. The culture is used in various industries. In addition, growing the plant does not require special equipment or equipment.
Sorghum is a heat-loving crop that needs a temperature of +25-30 degrees. Frosts can cause the death of the plant. At the same time, the cereal is resistant to droughts, parasites and diseases. It is characterized by a well-developed root system. At the same time, the crop is considered undemanding to the composition of the soil. It develops equally well in loam, sandy soil and clay substrate.
Types of sorghum
Today there are several types of sorghum:
- Lemon is a perennial plant whose homeland is considered to be tropical countries. The culture is distinguished by long and tall leaves, similar to reeds. At the same time, the greens have a citrus aroma. It is often added to tea and other drinks. Essential oil is also prepared from fresh herbs.
- Sugar is a drought-resistant crop. A characteristic feature is the high sugar content in the stems - its share reaches 20%. Sweet sorghum grows as tall bushes that reach 3.5 meters. The yield is 20-30 tons per hectare. This plant is used in the food industry, bioenergy and feed production.
- Grain is an important crop that is used for the production of feed and in technical industries.The plant is not picky about the weather and grows well in saline, clayey and sandy loam substrates. Grain sorghum grows in the form of low bushes 1-1.5 meters in size. The high level of drought resistance is due to well-developed roots that are able to absorb a lot of moisture from different layers of the soil. The leaves and stem are covered with a waxy coating, which reduces the evaporation of liquid.
Popular varieties
Sorghum seeds come in different shapes, colors and sizes. The grains are green, brown, red, orange. They can be oval, round, or ovoid in shape. Seeds are also divided into filmy and naked.
At the same time, breeders have developed many hybrids that differ in their characteristics. One of the most popular plants is the Bianca variety. It is productive and unpretentious. The grains of such sorghum contain a minimum of tannins. In addition, the plant is characterized by resistance to early lodging. Due to the high location of the lower leaves, harvesting can be done by regular mowing. There is no risk of getting beans that are too wet.
The Slavyanskoye Pole variety was bred specifically for feeding cattle. The plant has nutritional properties and promotes weight gain in animals. This variety has several hybrids. Slavyanskoye Pole 207 is used in poultry farms and pig farms. This plant is characterized by a high content of amino acids, trace elements, lysine and carnitine.
The hybrid Slavyanskoye Pole 600 is characterized by a high sugar content in the stem. This parameter reaches 25%. With an average sowing rate, the plant produces a good yield of green mass even in dry weather.
Growing technology
In order for sorghum to produce a good harvest, it is necessary to adhere to the rules of planting and provide the plant with high-quality care.
Landing
Pre-sowing soil preparation is required to retain moisture in it and to control weeds. To retain more moisture, it is worthwhile to harrow the plowed land early using heavy toothed harrows. This procedure is performed in 1-2 tracks across and diagonally. After the early spring harrowing of the soil is completed, cultivation is not carried out until weed sprouts appear.
Before planting seeds, it is recommended to perform 2 cultivations and roll layers of plowed soil. The first procedure helps speed up the warming of the soil and fill the soil with moisture. The second cultivation is carried out on the day of planting the seeds to a depth of 5-7 centimeters. Rolling is carried out using a ring roller. If the soil contains excess moisture, you should not roll the plantings, as this will lead to the appearance of a crust and slow down the germination of the seed material.
When preparing seed material for planting, its technical condition is of great importance, which depends on many factors - the timing of harvesting, the speed of drying, sorting and storage. When sorting, seeds should be divided into fractions, as this affects field germination.
The choice of sowing time is influenced by soil condition, climate, biological characteristics of varieties and planting goals. If the moisture content in the fields is insufficient, planting work should be carried out as soon as possible.
Soil temperature is of great importance. At +14-16 degrees, sprouts appear on days 10-12.However, as temperature parameters increase to +28 degrees, seedlings appear on the 5-6th day.
When planting, the correct depth of seed placement is of great importance, since it must be placed in hard, moist soil at the optimal depth. The grains should not be planted deep into the soil, since this plant is considered a small-seeded plant. In addition, a significant sowing depth negatively affects the development of sprouts and the progress of crop growth. The optimal depth for planting is 5-6 centimeters. Sweet sorghum should be deepened by 7 centimeters.
The location of the seeds on the field and their density are of great importance for the future harvest. Most often, sorghum is planted in a wide-row dotted manner with an interval of 70 centimeters. However, the maximum yield can be obtained with a width between rows of 60 centimeters.
When using the dotted planting method, it is possible to obtain higher crop yields than when using the square-cluster method. This method makes it possible to place seeds in the beds, achieve uniform sprouting and get a good harvest.
Care
At the initial stage of the growing season, sorghum is characterized by slow growth and may suffer from weeds. When caring for the plant, post-sowing rolling, which is carried out with spur rollers, is very helpful.
When carrying out such a procedure, you need to move as quickly as possible. The fact is that the torn lumps of earth will fall back and form a mulch layer. Its appearance will protect the soil from increased moisture evaporation.Post-sowing rolling will help to achieve good contact between the seeds and the soil, stimulate the flow of moisture from the lower layers of soil to the grains and make the surface of the site smoother.
4-5 days after planting, you should start fighting weeds. This must be done with the help of mandatory harrowing. The procedure is repeated when the sprouts reach 2-3 centimeters. The first harrowing helps to destroy up to 70% of unwanted vegetation, the second – up to 85%.
Subsequently, plantings are cared for by cultivating row spacing using mounted cultivators. This procedure must begin after seed germination, when the beds are clearly visible. When carrying out cultivation, it is worth maintaining the width of the protective zone measuring 12 centimeters.
At the very beginning of the growing season, the varieties become weeded much more than other plants, since the sprouts grow much slower than the weeds. Therefore, caring for sorghum involves the use of herbicides.
Beneficial features
Sorghum grains have a unique chemical composition. They contain many vitamins, mineral salts, and polyphenols. Thiamine, which is present in grains, affects the activity of the central nervous system, improves appetite, and restores heart function. Riboflavin helps maintain healthy skin, nails, and hair.
Lemongrass contains citral, which gives it a pleasant citrus aroma. The crushed stems of the crop are often used in cooking as a spice. Sorghum is considered an excellent antioxidant. It contains polyphenolic compounds that strengthen the immune system and provide protection against harmful factors.
Use as fuel
Sorghum is a valuable source of biofuel. This substance is obtained from a sugar variety of the crop. Scientists have conducted many studies that have proven the benefits of using cereals for the production of biological fuel. It is permissible to make bioethanol and biogas from it. The substance is also used to produce solid fuel in the form of briquettes.
Sorghum is a popular cereal crop that is grown in many countries around the world. In order for the plant to develop normally, it needs to be provided with proper care.
