Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor)

Grass family (Gramineae)

Source: Bock D., MPI Köln

Distribution, Yield, Use:

Production (1000t) Yield (dt/ha)

Country	1979-81	1992	1979-81	1992
USA	19160	22450	36.1	45.0
India	11380	13000	7.0	9.0
China	7030	6010	24.9	40.7
Mexico	4990	5110	33.4	36.0
Nigeria	3280	4100	12.6	10.2
Sudan	2270	4320	7.3	7.9
World	65530	70450	14.5	15.4

• Distribution:
  Grown in Africa, the middle East to India and Burma, East Asia, Australia, America and Southern Europe.

  Warm-loving and frost sensitive, requires much light, low soil and water requirements.

• Use:
  Animal feed (seed, silage, fodder) Foodstuff in Asia and Africa (pancake, porridge, beer) Industrial raw material (oil, starch, fibres) 70% carbohydrate, 4-6% fat, 8-13% protein in seed

Region of origin: Region of cultivation:

• Cultivation and Breeding:
  Sorghum bicolor (Durra) is the most important form of sorghum. In common with all sorghum types, it originates from Africa. The first steps towards domestication took place in the area of the Sudan and Chad. In the course of a century, one of the most important animal feed plants of world agriculture was bred from the original primitive cereal in the USA. The new hybrid varieties are high yielding, large seeded, low-growing and ripen uniformly.
• Breeding aims:
  Further breeding aims are to combine the yield properties of the American hybrid varieties with the resistance characteristics of the African wild types. Attention is also being paid to improving other qualities such as taste, and protein content and range.

Text by Dr. Wolfgang Schuchert
Adapted to HTML by R.Saedler