Sweet Sorghum: This crop gives better protection even in less water, know the complete method
Sweet Sorghum: Sweet sorghum is also referred to as God Jwari (Marathi), Mishti Sorghum (Bengali), Jola (Kannada), Cholam (Malayalam, Tamil), Jonalu (Telugu), and so on in the local languages. Sweet sorghum is said to have originated in West Africa, Ethiopia, and Sudan. The production of sweet sorghum is dominated by the United States of America.
The ideal conditions for sweet sorghum production are deep black soil (vertisol), 27–35 degrees Celsius, and 55–75 cm of rainfall. This crop produces well despite high temperatures, arid climates, and little rainfall. This crop, which is utilized for both human consumption and feed, is a possible substitute for sugarcane since it uses less water and input.
The characteristics of sweet sorghum
High biomass productivity of 45–80 tons per hectare is achieved in a good environment, and even in unfavorable circumstances, output is increased.
Because sweet sorghum is not affected by temperature, it may be cultivated all year round.
Its stem has a high Brix (soluble sugar) content (16–20 percent) and contains 10–15% sugar.
Molasses from sweet sorghum is also used to produce 4500 l of ethanol per hectare.
Climate that is necessary
One of the main crops grown in tropical regions is sweet sorghum. This crop may also be produced in unfavorable conditions, such as hot, dry climates and areas with very little rainfall. It is best produced in deep-red, loamy or medium- to deep-black (vertisol) soil that has a water-holding capacity of at least 50 cm. Dry regions with 550–750 mm of annual rainfall are suitable for growing sweet sorghum. Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, and the subtropical regions of Central and South India are the ideal places to grow this crop. It may be cultivated in sandy loam soil or other well-drained soil.
Soil
Vertisol, or medium- to deep-black soil, or deep red loamy soil, which is at least 500 mm deep and 0.75 m deep.
Current Types
The potential for a very high stalk production is seen in sweet sorghum hybrids and cultivars. For cane sugar, green cane yield, and juice yield, see SSV 96, GSSV 148, SR 350-3, SSV 74, HES 13, HES 4, SSV 119 and SSV 12611; GSSV 148 and NSS 104 for juice extraction; and HES 4 and RSSV 48 for improved liquor production. Compared to the crop planted in Kharif and summer, the yield during Rabi will be 30-35 percent with a lower sugar content because of the short days and low nighttime temperatures.
Preparing the Land
After two ploughings, the land must be leveled for proper tillage.
Time to Sow
As soon as the monsoon season begins, sowing should begin. The second week of June to the first week of July is the ideal time to sow. To guarantee consistent germination, moisture should be absorbed by at least the top 30 cm of the soil layer. When the crop is sown, the soil moisture content should be at least as high as the field’s capacity.
Rate of Seeds
It is advised to use 3 kg/acre or 8 kg/ha.
Management of Fertilizer
It is advised to use 80 kilograms of nitrogen, 40 kg of phosphate, and 40 kg of potash. However, at the time of planting, add 50% nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash. Next, as a side-dress, administer the remaining 50% nitrogen as the base dosage in two equal portions.
Crop Distance
Plants should be 15 cm apart from one another, and rows should be 60 cm apart.
Control of Weeds
Within 48 hours after seeding, apply 1 kilogram of atrazine (the active component) per hectare under damp circumstances. To control weed development, mechanical weeding should be done twice until 35–40 days into the crop stage.
Getting rid of weeds
Once or twice between 20 and 35 days after seeding, do intertillage with a cultivator or blade harrow. By applying mulch to the surface soil, this will not only inhibit the development of weeds but also preserve soil moisture.
Rainwater Management and Irrigation
In regions with 550–750 mm of rainfall, the crop may often be cultivated rainfed. Sow the crop and irrigate right away if the monsoon arrives late and is distributed unevenly. The crop has to be watered if the drought lasts longer than 20 days. To prevent waterlogging, remove extra irrigation water or rainfall from the field. When to water sweet sorghum depends on the kind of soil and the distribution of rainfall.
Gathering
Crop maturity, or around 40 days after blooming, is when harvesting should take place, followed by drying. Using sickles, cut the stalks at ground level, then remove the leaves and their sheath. Within 24 hours after harvesting, gather the chopped stalks in little bundles weighing 10–15 kg and transport them to the mills.
Additional sweet sorghum items
Sorghum’s high-biomass lines are special because they can be converted into bioethanol. The generation of ethanol from sorghum biomass won’t result in a food catastrophe. The output potential of sweet and feed sorghum is significant, with up to 20–40 t/ha of dry biomass and above 100 t/ha of fresh biomass. Both cellulose and hemicellulose are abundant in it. Some types of sweet sorghum yield around 78% juice. comprises 15–23% soluble fermentable sugars (as opposed to 14–16% in sugarcane) and plant biomass. The primary components of sugar are glucose and sucrose (70–80%). Sweet sorghum can only be grown on a large scale when better cultivars with high sugar yield are widely accessible.
