Close-up photo of sorghum head
Grain sorghum is the main summer grain crop in most regions in Queensland, and plays a key role in providing feed grains to the beef, dairy, pig and poultry industries. It is a good rotation crop that tolerates heat and moisture stress, and performs better than maize on soils with marginal potassium levels.
Grain sorghum is a major component of the dryland cropping system of north-eastern Australia. Approximately 60% of the Australian crop is grown in Queensland and the remainder in northern New South Wales.
The area of sorghum planted for grain in Queensland is normally 600,000-700,000 ha. Average farm yields vary around 2 t/ha and reflects the severity of constraints, as water stress during grain filling is the common production environment.
Sorghum produced in Australia is used almost exclusively for feed, especially cattle, pigs and poultry. None is used for human consumption and a significant market exists in the pet food industry. An export market of about 1 Mt exists, particularly to Japan, but the average amount exported is in the order of 300-500Kt.
Production and utilisation issues
The major limiting factor to production is water stress during grain fill. This results in reduced yield, causing lodging and reduced grain number and grain size.
The major insect pests are a complex of soil-borne insects, the sorghum midge (Stenodiplosis sorghicola) and heliothis (Helicoverpa armigera). The major disease is sorghum ergot (Claviceps africana), which was first reported in Australia in 1996. Other diseases are sporadic and have relatively minor significance.
The major constraints to effective use as a feed grain include variable grain size; cost of processing (e.g. steam flaking), particularly for ruminants; and grain weathering.
These and other issues have been identified in conjunction with industry and dictate the direction of the sorghum research program in Australia.
Sorghum halepense
Key points
Sorghum requires a warm, summer growing period of about 4-5 months, with planting times usually between September to January.
- The crop is highly drought tolerant, but responds well to rainfall, especially during head forming and grain fill stages.
- Lodging is a major problem in many grain sorghum producing areas and is usually associated with moisture stress. Use of lodging resistant hybrids is recommended.
- The two main insect pests in grain sorghum are sorghum midge and heliothis. It is now possible to adopt a practical IPM strategy that eliminates the use of chemical sprays for both these pests in most years.
- Adequate control of summer weeds (especially grasses) is necessary.
- Sorghum usually yields better than maize on poor fertility soils.
- Control weeds within 4-5 weeks after planting or risk yield loss.
Marketing
The sorghum trade is completely deregulated. Sorghum produced in Australia is used almost exclusively for feed - especially cattle, pigs and poultry - and this totals around 1.4 Mt. None is used for human consumption and a significant market exists in the pet food industry. There’s a substantial export market for sorghum, especially to Japan.
Photograph
Sorghum head sourced from: http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/26_6670.htm
