Sorghum quick facts

What is sorghum?

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) or milo (among other names) is a tropical grass that is grown primarily for its grain, although sweet sorghum (sorgo) is grown for the sugar-rich juice in its stem, and broomcorn is grown for its branches. Sorghum produces small, round grains that are often white or red in color. The scientific naming of wild and domesticated sorghum species is complicated, although the domesticated forms are now usually placed in Sorghum bicolor subspecies bicolor.

Where did sorghum come from?

Scientists think that sorghum was domesticated from a wild form of sorghum more than 5000 years ago in the region of present-day Sudan. Cultivation of sorghum later spread to other regions, including India, other parts of Africa, East Asia, and the Mediterranean region, before sorghum was brought to the Americas. 

How is sorghum used?

Sorghum is cultivated for its grain, which is an important food source for people living in dry tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Sorghum grain, stems, and leaves are also used as livestock feed and fodder. Sorghum grain can be fermented to make beverages. Fermented sorghum beverages are traditionally brewed in parts of Africa (for example, dolo, ikigage, or tchapalo). Commercial brewers are also exploiting sorghum for use in gluten-free beers.

Sweet sorghum or sorgo accumulates sucrose (a sugar) in its stem. Sweet sorghum stems can be crushed to extract the sugary juice, which an be processed into sorghum syrup. The juice can also be fermented and distilled to make sorghum rum. Sweet sorghum is of interest for producing biofuels, although it is not yet widely exploited for that purpose, unlike maize and sugarcane.

Broomcorn inflorescences are used in some types of decorations, as well as in natural-bristle brooms.

How is sorghum grown?

Like other grass grain crops, sorghum is grown in cultivated fields. Grain sorghum is grown from seed as an annual crop, meaning that it reaches maturity in one growing season. Sorghum is primarily a self-pollinated plant, and pollination and fertilization are important to grain yields. 

Where is sorghum grown?

Sorghum can be grown in large parts of the temperate zone because it is an annual crop that does not require an extremely long growing season. Today, sorghum is the world's number five cereal (grass grain) crop, after maize, wheat, rice, and barley. The top producers of sorghum are the United States and Nigeria, followed by Ethiopia, India, Mexico, and China.