Production Technology

of
Red Sorghum

Jerome C. Domingo
Agronomy IV-A
 Scientific Classification
Botanical Name: Sorghum bicolor (L)

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Order: Poales
• Family: Poaceae
• Subfamily: Panicoideae
• Genus: Sorghum L.
 History
• Native to the tropical areas in Africa
• The oldest cultivation record dates back to
3000 B.C. in Egypt
• The original variety of sorghum was purple or
red and the seed coat was red
• In the 1950s hybrid sorghums were developed
for higher yields
 Sorghum cultivating areas in Asia:

Production(000
Country Area(000 ha) Yield(kg/ha)
MT)

China 784 3107 3966

India 9200 6500 706

Pakistan 400 230 575

Saudi Arabia 180 200 1111

Thailand 88 200 2272

Yemen 320 260 812

 Description

• Local names are “jawar” , “chari”

• Self-pollinating plant
• Height of plant 60-460 cm
• Sorghum seed is small and round
• The long, wide leaves grow off the stalk
 Climate and Soil
• Sorghum is tropical plant
• More drought and temperature resistant
• Can grow on all types of soils except saline
and waterlogged
• Heavy, loamy soils are most suitable
• Prefers hot, dry climate
• Does not grow well in areas with high summer
rainfall
 Seedbed Preparation

• Requires good seedbed

• Which can be prepared with 1 ploughing with
mouldboard plough
• Followed by 2 ploughings with cultivator along
with planking
 Manuring
Fertilizer Quantity
(per Ha)

DAP 2.5 bags

Urea 1.25 bags

• 1.25 bag of Urea at first Irrigation

 Varieties
JS 2002
• Certified variety of Sargodha
• Long and sweet plants which remain green for
long time
• Production is 700 mounds/acre
Chakwal 2008
• Best for Arid zone
• Sweet stemmed and remains green for long
time
Hegari
• Tall, sweet stemmed and high yielding
• Production is 550 mounds/acre
• Good seed production also
JS-263
• Suitable for fodder and grain
• Production is 500 mounds/acre
• Attack of Red Leaf Spot disease
 Method of Sowing

• Mostly sown by broadcasting

• Recommended method is line sowing (pora
method)
• Line to line distance should be 30 cm for
fodder crop
• 45-60 cm distance between lines in case of
seed production
Seed Rate

• 32-35 kg/acre for fodder crop

• 6-8 kg/acre for grain purpose
 Sowing Time
In Punjab:
• For fodder in March-August
• For grain June-July
Sindh:
• In June for both fodder and grain
KPK:
• During June and July
Baluchistan:
• In July and August
Intercultural Practices
• Fodder crops don’t require interculture
• 1 hoeing for grain crops in case of line sowing

Irrigation

• 3-4 irrigations for March, June crops

• 1-2 irrigations for monsoon crops
depending upon rainfall
 Pests and Diseases

• Shootfly and borer cause serious damage

• Apply 3% Furadon granules @ 10-12 kg/acre
• Red leaf spot is most serious disease
• Seeds should be treated with Vitavax or
Benlate @ 2g/kg of seed
• Light irrigation during disease attack
 Time of Harvesting

Best time for

harvesting of
fodder crop is at
50% heading stage

For seed At this stage

purpose crop is fodder tastes
ready in good and is
November free of toxins