Sorghum

Sorghum bicolor

• Section Chaetosorghum
• Straight section sorghum
• Section Para sorghum
• Section sorghum
• Section Stiposorghum

As sorghum, millets, the species of the genus Sorghum ( zɔrgʊm ) from the family of grasses ( Poaceae ) are referred to. Even the spelling of sorghum is occasionally encountered.

Economically important species of this taxon is the sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), which is the most important grain in Africa and is also planted in southern Europe, Central America and South Asia. It is used primarily for the production of flour and as feed for livestock and is the grain which is the fifth largest cultivated area had globally in 2010 - after wheat, maize, rice and barley. It is native to East Africa and is adapted to hot and dry climate. Another well-known type is the primarily as a forage crop, but also as an energy crop Sudan grass used (p. sudanense ). As the bird food sorghum is also used.

Systematics and Nomenclature

The sorghum millet (Sorghum sp.) Belong to a genus of the tribe of the subfamily Andropogoneae Panicoideae which belongs to the family Poaceae. The Andropogoneae are also other important crops such as corn (Zea mays), and sugarcane ( Saccharum officinarum ) associated.

In the subfamily Panicoideae there are other genera or species, which are called millet. Economically important species of this grain can so (eg, pearl millet ), Panicum also belong to the genera Pennisetum (eg millet ), etc.. And agricultural species other subfamilies, such as Chloridoideae are referred to as millet, such as crabgrass ( Eleusine coracana ), of the genus Eleusine.

Certain weeds, such as significant in Germany barnyardgrass ( Echinochloa crus- galli ) of the subfamily Panicoideae, carry the designation millet.

The sorghum millet thus represent only a part of the species known as millet.

The economically important Sorghumhirseart Sorghum is sometimes referred to as the sorghum, though this term as defined above covers all species of the genus.

The genetic origins of the agriculturally important species Sorghum bicolor is located in present day Ethiopia. Sorghum was domesticated in Africa südsaharischen. From about 2000 BC sorghum can be detected also in Central India, along with other African crops such as lablab ( Lablab purpureus ) and cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata ). In Egypt it was in the early Islamic period became an important crop. Sorghum, millets are similar to the maize plants in the structure ( morphology). You can reach heights of growth of up to 5 m and have filled with marrow stems that can form on the node side shoots. The racemes are 10-60 cm long and have a twig with two spikelets, the upper forms a hermaphrodite, the lower two male flowers. Sorghumrispen can vary greatly in appearance, depending on variety and origin compact with tightly fitting grains ( arid origin), or open with widely spaced grains ( humid origin). The unbespelzten grains are 4-5 mm thick, round and white, yellowish to red color. The most commonly used worldwide domesticated forms of type Sorghum bicolor have brownish grains. Located in the grains of many cultivars are bitter substances (tannins ) can, depending on the concentration, from herbivores, in particular protecting from birds bird -resistant sorghum.

Species

In the genus sorghum millet sorghum, there are about 30 species:

• Sorghum almum
• Sorghum × almum ( = S. bicolor × S. halepense )
• Sorghum amplum
• Sorghum angustum
• Sorghum arundinaceum ( Syn: Sorghum virgatum ( Hack. ) Stapf )
• (Sorghum bicolor)
• Sorghum brachypodum
• Sorghum bulbosum
• Sorghum burmahicum
• Sorghum ecarinatum
• Sorghum exstans
• Sorghum grande
• Sorghum halepense ( Wild sorghum )
• Sorghum interjectum
• Sorghum intrans
• Sorghum laxiflorum
• Sorghum leiocladum
• Sorghum macrospermum
• Sorghum matarankense
• Sorghum nitidum
• Sorghum plumosum
• Sorghum propinquum
• Sorghum purpureosericeum
• Sorghum stipoideum
• Sudan grass (Sorghum sudanense )
• Sorghum timorense
• Sorghum trichocladum
• Sorghum versicolor

Economic Importance

Worldwide, approximately 54.2 million t of sorghum were harvested in 2011. The EU import is estimated at 3.5 million tons, the world's largest exporters are the United States and Argentina. The global revenues in 2011 were up 13.7 dt / ha, in the United States through hybrid breeding, however, 45 dt / ha, with ideal watering and fertilization up to 100 t / ha achieved. The main producer of sorghum is India, with over 7 million tonnes (2011 ), although the cultivated land in Africa and Asia are much broader. The 20 largest producers harvested 2011, approximately 90.6 % of the world harvest.

To the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA ) and the Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO) of the largest producing countries are only available for the entire genus of sorghum, millets, and this is presumably mainly sorghum bicolor. The following table gives an overview on the basis of FAO data:

* FAO estimate, ** FAO calculation

* Unofficial figures

See also: The biggest wheat producer, the biggest producer of rye, barley The largest producers, the largest rice producer, the largest maize producer, the largest oat producer

Use

Food and feed

Sorghum bicolor is hardly suitable for baking, but takes the form of porridge, porridge or pancakes use as food. Also, the production of beer it is used, for example, for the traditionally made Dolo in West Africa, pombe in East Africa and Merisa in Sudan. For the industrial production of beer is sorghum is important because it is suitable for the production of gluten -free beer for people with celiac disease (gluten intolerance ). Sorghum can be similar to the corn used well as the whole plant as feed, but must be fed either fresh or for reducing the content of cyanogenic glycoside dhurrin ensiled or dried.

Scientists are currently working on sorghum varieties with enhanced levels of nutrients, such as vitamin A, zinc, iron, and several amino acids.

A renewable resource

Increasing significance of sorghum millet as renewable resources. Studies show the value of sorghum sudanense and other species, such as the known as sweet sorghum sugar-rich form of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), as an energy crop for electricity or gas production from biomass. In the U.S., ethanol is produced from sweet sorghum. A parallel use of the fibers ( fiber sorghum ) may be possible. In Germany the usability of sweet sorghum and Sudan grass is being investigated as a fermentation substrate to produce biogas intensive.

The journal Nature reported in June 2007 that the People's Republic of China in 2020 15 percent of its fuel needs from renewable resources and therefore gain increasingly mainly sorghum (instead of corn ) Install want.