Sorghum, << SAWR guhm, >> is the name of a group of tropical grasses from Africa and Asia. In regions that have a warm summer climate, farmers grow some of them for syrup, grain, broom fiber, and animal feed. The common varieties of sorghum have thick, solid stalks and look like corn plants. But their flowers grow in branched clusters at the tips of the stems.
Farmers plant and grow sorghums in much the same manner as they do corn. About 9 million acres (3.6 million hectares) of sorghum are planted in the United States each year, especially in the Great Plains region. All sorghums fall into four main groups. These groups are (1) grain sorghums, (2) sweet sorghums, (3) grassy sorghums, and (4) broomcorn.
Grain sorghums
are grown especially for their round, starchy seeds. The grain is used for feeding animals. Some grain sorghums grow to 15 feet (5 meters) high. Plant breeders have developed shorter varieties that can be harvested with a combine. In India, Africa, and China, the grain is ground and made into pancakes or mush for food. Common grain sorghums include durra, milo, and kafir (see Grain sorghum ; Kafir ).
Sweet sorghums,
also called sorgos, have sweet, juicy stems. They are grown especially for the production of sorghum syrup. This syrup is made by pressing the juice out of the stems with rollers and boiling it down to the proper thickness. Animal feed and silage can also be made from sweet sorghums.
Grassy sorghums
are used for green feed and hay. Sudan grass is a tall sorghum with thin stalks. It grows quickly and may reach 10 feet (3 meters) in height. Sudan grass serves as excellent summer pasturage (see Sudan grass ). Johnson grass grows as a weed in the Southern United States. It resembles Sudan grass, but it spreads by creeping rootstocks. Johnson grass is a pest on land needed for cotton or other row crops. But it is excellent cattle feed.
Broomcorn
is a sorghum grown for the brush (branches) of the seed cluster used in making brooms.
