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Sorghum originated in the north-east quadrant of Africa and spread from there throughout Africa and into India. In 1994, sorghum ranked fifth among the most important cereal crops of the world after wheat, rice, maize, and barley in both total area planted and production. Eighty percent of the area devoted to sorghum is located within Africa and Asia, with average yields of 810 and 1150 kilograms per hectare, respectively. In 1992, sorghum was planted on approximately 5.4 million hectares in the United States with an average yield of 4,566 kg/ha and a farm value of over $1.7 billion. Grain sorghum plants are coarse annual grasses. Nearly all varieties grown in the United States are "dwarf" types, with stems under 5 feet in height and suitable for harvesting with combines. Many taller- stemmed varieties are grown in other countries.
 Grain sorghum is well-known for its capacity to tolerate conditions of limited moisture and to produce during periods of extended drought, in circumstances that would impede production in most other grains. Sorghum leaves roll along the midrib when moisture- stressed, making the plant more drought resistant than other grain plants. Like corn, sorghum can be grown under a wide range of soil and climatic conditions. Unlike corn, however, sorghum's yield under different conditions is not so varied. Consequently, it is grown primarily in arid areas where corn wouldn't make it without substantial irrigation. Sorghum is an important part of the diets of many people in the world. It's made into unleavened breads, boiled porridge or gruel, malted beverages including beer, and specialty foods such as popped grain and syrup from sweet sorghum. In Africa, the straw of traditional tall sorghums is used to make palisades in villages or around a homestead. The plant bases are an important source of fuel for cooking and the stems of wild varieties are used to make baskets or fish traps. Dye extracted from sorghum is used in West Africa to color leather red.
Sorghum starch is manufactured in the U.S. by a wet-milling process similar to that used for corn starch, then made into dextrose for use in foods. Starch from waxy sorghums is used in adhesives and for sizing paper and fabrics, and is an ingredient in oil drilling "mud." The grain can be a source of grain and butyl alcohol. In the United States, sorghum is a principal feed ingredient for both cattle and poultry. Its protein content is higher than corn and about equal to wheat. Its fat content is lower than corn but higher than wheat. Tannin, an acidic complex, can affect both the taste and nutritional value of sorghum. Historically, sorghum with a high tannin content was desirable because it's not palatable to birds. High tannin sorghum is still grown where birds are a problem, but, in the United States, reduced-tannin sorghum has been developed, improving nutritional value by as much as 30 percent. Sorghum has a very hard kernel, which makes it resistant to disease and damage, butmaking it harder to digest for animals. Sorghum is ground, cracked, steam flaked, and/or roasted, to enhance the nutritional value 12 to 14 percent. Some sorghum, sudangrass, or sorghum-sudangrass hybrids are poisonous to horses. The exact cause is not known. There's currently no treatment for this poisoning and affected horses rarely recover.
Plantings and production in South Africa
Sorghum is mainly produced in the Free State (59%), Mpumalanga (19%) and North West (11%). During the 1999/2000 production season, an estimated 142 200 ha were planted to sorghum for commercial use. This represents an increase of 43,8% compared to the 98 900 ha planted during 1998/99. A survey, which was done during August 2000, indicated that producers intended to plant 22% less sorghum during the 2000/01 production season than during the 1999/2000 season. The expected decrease in sorghum plantings can mainly be ascribed to poor price expectations.
The commercial sorghum crop for the 1999/2000 production season was expected to be 369 395 tons, with a yield of 2,60 t/ha, as against 185 636 tons for the previous season.
Grain sorghum and maize (corn) are comparable in costs of production and in nutrition, therefore the growing environment is the largest determining factor for choosing which to grow. Grain sorghum requires less water than corn, so is likely to be grown as a replacement to corn and produce better yields than corn in hotter and drier areas, such as the Southern US, Africa, Central America and South Asia. One study showed that when corn required over 30 inches of water, sorghum required less than 23 inches. However, in cooler areas corn is probably a better option for production, based on yield.
US sorghum accounts for 70% to 80% of world sorghum exports.
Chemical Composition of Sorghum per 100g
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Vitamins
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Minerals
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Vitamin A (Retinol)
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0.2 mg
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Calcium (Ca)
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26 mg
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Beta carotene (Pro-vitamin A)
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0.05 mg
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Chloride (Cl)
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100 mg
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Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
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0.38 mg
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Cobalt (Co)
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–
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Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
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0.15 mg
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Copper (Cu)
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0.45 mg
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Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
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4.3 mg
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Chromium (Cr)
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17 µg
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Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
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1.25 mg
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Iron (Fe)
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5.4 mg
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Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
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0.5 mg
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Magnesium (Mg)
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170 mg
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Vitamin B7 or Vitamin H (Biotin)
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40 µg
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Manganese (Mn)
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1.15 mg
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Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid)
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20 µg
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Molybdenum (Mo)
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0.06 mg
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Vitamin B12 (Cynocobalamin)
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1 µg
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Phosphorus (P)
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350 mg
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Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
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0.1
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Potassium (K)
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308 mg
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Vitamin D (Calcifercol)
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1 µg
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Selenium (Se)
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–
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Vitamin E (Tocopherol)
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0.05 mg
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Sodium (Na)
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133 mg
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Vitamin K (Phylloquinone)
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–
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Sulphur (S)
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140 mg
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Overall chemical
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Zinc (Zn)
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2.5 mg
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Crude fibre
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1.9 mg
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Starch (Carbohydrates)
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70 mg
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Fat
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3.3 mg
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Ash
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1.6 mg
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Protein
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11.4 mg
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Energy
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1 350 kJ
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