Grain sorghum is one of the most important dryland crops in the Central Great Plains of the United States. It is economically important in areas where low and erratic rainfall and high temperature limit the production of other summer crops. The United States is the largest producer of sorghum with 6 million acres of grain production in 2005.
Sorghum offers farmers the ability to reduce costs on irrigation and other on-farm expenses. As the pressure on the Ogallala Aquifer increases and less irrigation is possible, sorghum is a crop which will become even more important to farmers in the Great Plains and to the High Plains cattle feeding industry.
The K-State Center for Sorghum Improvement was initiated to enhance this vital crop resource. Goals of this initiative include:
- Improve the agronomic characteristics, yield potential, food, and feed value of grain sorghum through plant breeding and genetic improvement.
- Develop new uses for grain sorghum in food and non-food applications, emphasizing the grain’s desirable characteristics such as absence of gluten and low glycemic index, as well as suitability for use in biofuel production.
- Develop environmentally and economically sustainable cultural practices that increase the profitable production of high quality grain sorghum with unique functional properties.
Sorghum Breeding/Genetics
Plant Physiology/Crop Production
Weed Science
Crop Protection
Utilization
- Scott Bean - USDA ARS Grain Marketing and Production Research Center
- Joe Hancock - Department of Animal Sciences and Industry
- Donghai Wang - Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering