Sorghum holds nutritional, cultural, and economic value. It is gluten-free, making it a healthy alternative in modern diets.
Culturally, sorghum is key in brewing traditional beverages like umqombothi. Economically, it requires less input and offers better drought resilience, ideal for smallholder farmers operating under tight budgets and changing climates.
Agronomist and PhD researcher Hamond Motsi shares expert insights into cultivating sorghum successfully.
Sorghum comes in three main types. The most commonly known is grain sorghum, followed by forage sorghum, which is typically used as animal feed. The third type is sweet sorghum, which has sugary stalks similar to sugar cane and also produces grain, making it a versatile, multipurpose crop.
Growing sorghum
“It produces the starchy or carbohydrate part of the food, which can replace other conventional crops like maize.
“It also has some health benefits, and recently, there’s been a rise in food preference. For instance, people are running away from foods which contain gluten, and they are seeking gluten-free food. Sorghum is a crop that has gluten-free seeds,” Motsi explains.
South Africa’s warmer regions are well-suited to sorghum farming due to the crop’s tolerance for heat and dry spells.
“It can tolerate high or medium to high temperatures. It also needs some rainfall, although it doesn’t need much.”
Choosing the right sorghum variety
While there are many varieties, Motsi advises that farmers seek help when selecting seeds.
“Sorghum is a summer crop, which means you have to plant it around October, November, and December. Depending on the variety or on the type, it grows for about four to six months,” Motsi explains.
If planted in October, some varieties can be ready for harvest by February. Later planting dates can push the harvest out to April or May. Farmers should time planting carefully, especially in regions with variable rainfall.
Follow these principles
Motsi advises the following considerations for a successful harvest:
Key agronomic practices include:
- Soil preparation: Ensure the seedbed is well-tilled and free from compaction for strong germination.
- Fertilisation: Apply nutrients following the 4R principles – right source, right rate, right time, and right place.
- Pest and disease management: Know the common threats and how to deal with them.
- Weed control: Maintain clean fields during the early stages to avoid competition.
This article was first published by our sister publication, Food For Mzansi.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.
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