Being important, the quantity and quality of sorghum is determined by the quality of seed and mode of production.
Sorghum is the 5th important cereal crop in the developing world and is grown in dry agro ecologies to low rainfall and drought. It is grown both in rainy season and post rainy season. It is a source of dry matter for draft animals in mixed crop -livestock system.
Sorghum production
Sorghum is grown under residual soil moisture with productivity of 7 times /ha. This is done by selecting medium to heavy soils after harvesting legumes. Prepare land by 2 furrowing and moisture is conserved during growing season.
Secondly treat seeds using manually operated seed treatment drum for uniform containment of chemicals to seeds to protect them during seedling stage from infestations. Sow 10kg /ha of seeds. Furrows are made and fertilizer is applied using seed can fertilizer drills for uniform spacing of 45×15 cm of plants.
Furthermore apply 40kg N and 20kg P /ha as a basal fertilizer at sowing and spray pre- emergence weedicide immediately after planting. Also control weeds at 25-30 days and control pests by spraying.. The duration of crop is between 110-120 days however it is harvested at physiological maturity at 15 days to normal duration of the crop.
Crop advantages
Sorghum grain is used as a staple food while flour is use for make of chapati, porridge, bakery items, pop and as feed to livestock. It is also used in crop- livestock system where whole crop is harvested and stalks are stored for future use.
Finally, it is also used as food, feed, fodder, fibre and best multi- purpose crop.
