| Sorghum bicolor | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| (unranked): | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Genus: | Sorghum |
| Species: | S. bicolor |
| Binomial name | |
| Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench |
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| Synonyms | |
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Sorghum japonicum (Hack.) Roshev. |
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Sorghum bicolor, commonly called sorghum and also known as durra or jowari, is a grass species cultivated for its edible grain. Sorghum originated in northern Africa, and is now cultivated widely in tropical and subtropical regions. S. bicolor is typically an annual, but some cultivars are perennial. It grows in clumps that may reach over 4 metres high. The grain is small, ranging from 3 to 4 mm in diameter. Sweet sorghums are sorghum cultivars that are primarily grown for foliage; they are shorter than those grown for grain.[1]
S. bicolor is the cultivated species of sorghum; its wild relatives make up the botanical genus Sorghum.
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The species can grow in arid soils and withstand prolonged droughts.[1] It has four features that make it one of the most drought-resistant crops of all.
Richard Pankhurst reports (citing Augustus B. Wylde) that in 19th-century Ethiopia, Durra was "often the first crop sown on newly cultivated land", explaining that this cereal did not require the thorough ploughing other crops did, and its roots not only decomposed into a good fertilizer, but they also helped to break up the soil while not exhausting the subsoil.[2]
Sorghum is cultivated in many parts of Asia and Africa, where its grains are used to make flat breads that form the staple food of many cultures.[3][4] The grains can also be popped in a similar fashion to popcorn.
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 1,418 kJ (339 kcal) |
| Carbohydrates | 74.63 g |
| - Dietary fiber | 6.3 g |
| Fat | 3.30 g |
| Protein | 11.30 g |
| Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. |
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The species can be used as a source for making ethanol fuel, and in some environments may be better than maize or sugarcane, as it can grow under harsher conditions.[1] It typically has protein levels of around 9 percent, enabling dependent human populations to subsist on it in times of famine, in contrast to regions where maize has become the staple crop. It is also used for making a traditional corn broom.[5]
The reclaimed stalks of the sorghum plant are used to make a decorative millwork material marketed as Kirei board.
Sweet sorghum syrup is known as molasses in some parts of the U.S., although it is not true molasses.
In China, sorghum is fermented and distilled to produce maotai, which is regarded as one of the country's most famous liquors. Sorghum was ground and the flour was the main alternative to wheat in north China for a long time.
In India, where it is commonly called Jwaarie, Jowar, Jola, or Jondhahlaa, sorghum is one of the staple sources of nutrition. An Indian Bread or Jowar Rotti or Jolada rotti is prepared from this grain. In some countries, sweet sorghum stalks are used for producing biofuel by squeezing the juice and then fermenting into ethanol.[6] Texas A&M University in the United States is currently running trials to find the best varieties for ethanol production from sorghum leaves and stalks in the USA.[7]
In Korea it is cooked with rice, or its flour is used to make cake that is called Susu bukkumi.
In Australia, South America, and the United States (the second largest producer of sorghum after Nigeria), sorghum grain is used primarily for livestock feed and in a growing number of ethanol plants.[8]
Sorghum is one of a number of grains used as wheat substitutes in gluten-free recipes and products.
The genome of Sorghum bicolor was sequenced between 2005 and 2007.[9][10]
Sorghum is a host of the parasitic plant Striga hermonthica.[11] This parasite is a devastating pest on the crop.