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CANADIAN GRAIN SORGHUM HYBRID
AERC Inc. developed Canadian Grain Sorghum Hybrids from the breeding program for its ability to produce high grain yields over a wide range of growing conditions in south western Ontario Sorghum [S. bicolor (L.) Moench] is a versatile, energy efficient C-4 plant which belongs to the family Graminae. It has excellent adaptability to grow under water stress conditions. The root system of sorghum is bigger and deeper than that of maize. The plants will remain relatively inactive during drught and renew growth, when the conditions become favourable. It can also withstand water logging and could be grown on heavy clay or light sandy soils. Grain sorghum is grown in over 66 countries and ranks fifth among the most important cereal crops of the world. It is used for unleavened breads, boiled porridge, malted beverages, and specialty foods such as popped grain. Syrup can be made from sweet sorghum. Sorghum grain is gluten free and is a safe food for gluten allergy sufferers. The stems and foliage are used as green chop, hay, silage, and pasture. Though sorghum is used largely for livestock in the west, it is an important cereal in the world's human diet for over 300 million people. Major food consumers are India, Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African countries. Major consumers for feed are the US, Japan and Mexico. One of the main uses of gram sorghum in Africa is the production of malt and kefir beer.
USA is the largest producer and exporter for sorghum in the world. In 1999, USA
exported 5.86 millions of grain sorghum at the value of 555 milion US$ with an average
yield of 3,820 kg/ha. Eighty percent of the sroghum growing area in the US is in
Kansas, Texas and Nebraska.
Because of recurring annual droughts, farmers in several growing area is located in Africa
and Asia, where average yiels were 840 and 1210 Kg/ha, respectively. North and central
America produce over 33% of the world production from only 13% of total world area
with an average yield of 3,071 kg/ha. The average farm price in the USA is US $2.35
per bushel. Japan and Mexico are the two biggest consumers of sorghum with over 70%
of the total world imports for the last ten years.
During
2000, Canada imported 4,019 metric tons of grain sorghum at a value of
479,000 US$. Until recently, there were no varieties of grain sorghum available
for growing in Canada. AERC Inc. has developed temperate grain sorghum hybrids suitable
for south-western Ontario climatic conditions with grain yields
of over 5 tons/ha.
Click here to download the Canadian Grain Sorghum Hybrid
Click here to download the Hybrides Canadien de Sorgho Grain
More About Canadian Grain Sorghum
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