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Sorghum, common name for
maize-like grasses native to Africa and Asia, where they have been cultivated
since ancient times. Up to 3 m (10 ft) tall, they bear seeds on terminal
heads, or panicles. Grain sorghums are the staple food for millions
of people in China, India, and Africa; elsewhere, sorghums serve primarily
as livestock feed.
Grain sorghums, also known as millet or Guinea corn, include milo, kafir,
durra, feterita, and kaoliang, and are among the most drought-tolerant
of cereals, becoming dormant under drought and heat stress and then
resuming growth when conditions improve. Sweet sorghums (sorgos) develop
a sweet juice in their stalks and are grown for syrup production and
fodder. Grassy sorghums, including Sudan grass and hybrids of this grass
and sweet or grain sorghums, are widely grown for fodder and pasture.
Broomcorn sorghums produce long, stiff, straw-like stalks, or peduncles,
in their flowering panicles. Historically these plants were widely used
in making brooms, but plastics are taking their place. Johnson grass,
a perennial sorghum relative that is native to the Mediterranean region,
is often a serious weed in warm areas.
Plant breeders have developed dwarf grain-sorghum hybrids, about 1 m
(32 ft) tall, adapted for harvesting by combine. Widely grown in the
central and western United States, they have resulted in a dramatic
increase in sorghum use. Current research focuses on increasing insect
and disease resistance, drought tolerance, and yields of grain sorghums;
and on improving the forage yield and quality of forage sorghums. Increased
use of liquid sweeteners has expanded interest in sweet sorghums for
this purpose. World production of sorghum grain approached 70 million
tonnes in the early 1980s. Sorghum is the worlds fifth most important
cereal, in terms of both production and area planted.
Sorghum is grown in Africa (16%), Asia (36%), Central- and South America
(21%) and USA (20%). Average protein content of Kansas grain sorghum
was in 1999 8.6 percent, average starch content 74.5 percent and average
oil content 3.4 percent. In other areas more typical values of 12-14
% protein is found. Sorghum is a starch raw material and the starch
extraction process resembles that of corn wet milling. Sorghum starch
granules are typically 3 - 27 microns with 16 microns in average.
Scientific classification: Sorghum make up the genus
Sorghum in the family Poaceae (or Gramineae). Millet
or Guinea corn is classified as Sorghum bicolor (with many cultivars),
and Johnson grass as Sorghum halepense. Waxy sorghum is a special variety
free of amylose.