What is Sudanese grass, how is it grown and where is it used?
Sudan grass, better known as sorghum millet or sorghum sudan, is an annual flowering plant from the grass family. Due to its high nutritional value, the plant is used as a fodder crop.
Sorghum is native to Central Africa and China. Here the grass is found in the wild. We'll tell you more about what Sudanese grass is and how to grow it in this article.
What is Sudanese grass
Sudanese sorghum was first brought to Russia at the beginning of the 20th century, but cultivation on an industrial scale began only 50 years later.
Characteristics of culture
Sudan grass is an annual crop of the genus Sorghum, family Cereals.. Sudanese is readily eaten by cattle, sheep and horses, as it contains a lot of natural sugars. In terms of feed value, the crop is ahead of most cereals.
The green mass of this grass is rich in proteins, sugars and ash.. Sorghum is used for making silage. In terms of nutritional value, Sudanese silage is practically not inferior to corn silage harvested in the milk-wax ripeness phase.
Biological features
Sudanese sorghum is a drought-resistant crop with a developed root system. Grows best in chernozem soils. It is possible to cultivate cereals on slightly saline soils. The crop does not grow on swampy and acidic podzolic lands.
It is important to know. Sudan grass is demanding on the presence of nutrients in the soil, in particular nitrogen.
Valuable biological feature of grass - rapid regrowth after mowing and grazing.The crop produces 2-3 cuts over the summer, and with regular watering - 4-5. The average yield is 600–1000 c/ha.
Disadvantages of Sudanese - slow growth at the beginning of the growing season, as a result of which the crops are often drowned out by weeds.
Properties
The powerful fibrous root system of the plant penetrates the soil to a depth of 3 m. It loosens the soil well and promotes the active development of soil microorganisms and earthworms. Sudanese improves soil fertility.
The grass stems are erect, 1.5 to 3 m high, often branching. The inflorescence is a spreading panicle. Cross pollination. The fruit is a filmy grain covered with spikelet scales.
Sudanese is a heat- and light-loving short-day plant. Seeds germinate at a temperature of +9…+10°C. Plantings tolerate high temperatures well.
Young seedlings do not tolerate frosts and when the temperature drops to -2...-3°C they die. In the south, the growing season is 100–110 days. When used for green fodder and hay, the first mowing is carried out 55–65 days after emergence. The second one is 35–45 days after the first one. The third - 30-35 days after the second.
Popular varieties
The breeding work of Sudanese grass in our country began in the early 50s of the last century. Based on samples brought from Africa, several Sudanese sorghum hybrids were developed.
Most popular varieties:
- Brodskaya 2. The bush produces up to 7 leaves, reaching 60 cm in height and 4 cm in width. A paniculate brush with an elongated shape. The plant is spreading and spreading. Panicle length - 30 cm. Disease-resistant variety.
- Yubileinaya 20. Medium bushy hybrid. The umbrella is spreading. Seeds in a transparent shell. Early ripe first mowing is carried out on the 35th day after emergence.The hybrid is relatively disease resistant.
- Chishminskaya early (on the picture). Thin stem up to 1 m in height. Early ripe first mowing is carried out 40 days after emergence. Disease resistance is average.
All three crops are high-yielding and nutritious.
Interesting facts about other grains:
Varieties and classification of Italian millet
Areas of use
In India and China, Sudanese sorghum has long been consumed as food.. Porridge is cooked from cereals, and flat cakes are baked from flour.
In Russia, sorghum is widely used in agriculture. The high sugar content in grass contributes to good milk yield and weight gain.
The three-component mixture with Sudanese grass contains 0.28 feed units, crude protein - 34, digested protein - 20.7. For comparison: in a four-component mixture of feed units - 0.3, crude protein - 42, digested - 35. There is more protein in this composition due to barley.
Sorghum is a particularly valuable crop for the regions of the south and southeast. In terms of green mass yield, sorghum ranks 1st among forage plants.
Important! Sudan grass is indispensable in dry, hot summers. While the yield of other cereals is declining, that of Sudanese crops remains high.
On farms with a large number of cattle, sorghum is harvested for hay and haylage.. After the second mowing, the leftovers are used for grazing cows, when natural pastures have already been grazed and dried out.
Growing
Interest in Sudan grass among farmers is steadily growing. Cultivated areas are increasing. To grow Sudanese, certain features are observed. from planting to harvesting and storage.
Landing
Sowing begins when warm weather sets in and the soil warms up to +10...+12°C. Before planting, the seeds are disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate and then dried.
Seed consumption - on average 15–30 kg per 1 ha. Planting material is buried 3–6 cm depending on the density of the soil. If it is loose, then after sowing the field is rolled to ensure uniform shoots.
Attention! Sudanese sorghum does not like dense and wetlands. At the same time, it grows well in saline and solonetz areas.
Suitable predecessors - legumes and their mixtures with cereals, perennial and annual grasses, winter crops, corn, sugar beets.
Care
Under favorable climatic conditions, the grass produces vigorous shoots. After 2 months, the plants grow 4–6 leaves.
In young seedlings, the root system has not yet developed, so the weeds take away the moisture and nutrients intended for the Sudanese. Special preparations are used to control weeds. Usually these are mineral and organic fertilizers that are suitable for Sudan grass. If the crop is properly cared for at the beginning of the growing season, it begins to grow quickly and become anchored in the soil by its roots.
The cereal responds well to the application of mineral fertilizers, especially nitrogen. They not only increase the yield of green mass (the increase is 24–38%), but also improve the quality of raw materials, in particular increasing the amount of protein.
Disease and pest control
Sorghum has natural protection against certain pests and diseases. This includes a waxy coating on the leaves and stems, the content of tannins in the grain, and the presence of silica and glucosides in the leaves. These factors determine a high degree of resistance to crop damage.
However, pests such as aphids, meadow moths, bollworms, and wireworms can cause significant damage to crops.
Aphid
Most dangerous for young plants in the 5-6 leaf phase. The pest damages the green part of the grass, as a result the seedlings are stunted or die. The parasite transmits diseases.
For prevention, crops are treated 2 times with the drugs “Opercot Acro” and “Zenith”. This prevents aphid infestation for the entire growing season. Good results are obtained by spraying with Sherpa, Rogor-S, BI-58 and their analogues.
meadow moth
Caterpillars damage plants, eating leaves and slowing down the growth of green mass.
Control measures: spraying with “Rogor-S” or “BI-58”.
Corn stem borer
Moth caterpillars feed on young leaves, penetrate the inside of the stem, sucking out cell juices. As a result, the plant dies, and the caterpillars move to the next bush.
To prevent the appearance of insects They remove plant residues in a timely manner, carry out autumn plowing of the land, and follow the rules of crop rotation. Chemical control measures are difficult because the caterpillars hide in the stems. During the period of mass emergence of larvae and feeding, spraying with “Bi-58” and “Zenith” helps.
grain moth
During the period of grain ripening, moths lay eggs on it. After 2–2.5 months, caterpillars appear and completely eat up the contents of the grain.
Control measures: spraying seeds with “Opercot Acro”. In closed storage facilities, grain is fumigated with Phosphine for 10–15 days. In field conditions, methods for combating grain moths have not been sufficiently developed.
Fusarium and Alternaria
Sorghum crops are susceptible to fungal diseases: stem and root rot, fusarium and alternaria, smut.
Pathogens of fungal diseases are found in the soil. With high seed moisture and a damaged shell, phytopathogens migrate to them and young shoots. When seeds are infected, the fungus reduces their germination. Affected plants die.
To fight diseases planting material is treated before sowing.
Root and stem rot
The development of diseases is provoked by bacteria living in the soil. With root rot, the root system of the crop is damaged, which leads to curling and drying of the leaves.
Stem rot leads to redness and drying of the upper leaves. Affected plants are stunted and do not form panicles. The roots and lower part of the bushes are not damaged. The yield of green mass is reduced by 30–35%.
To prevent diseases Varieties and hybrids with stable immunity are planted, seeds are treated, and pests are controlled.
Fire smut
The disease affects the generative organs of the plant. Instead of grains, smut swellings form on the panicles. Infection occurs during threshing. The grains look like elongated gray sacs; when crushed, a black mass of smut spores is visible.
To fight seeds are treated with Vitavax (3-4 kg/t).
Dusty smut
Smut spores persist in soil and seeds. Infection occurs during the germination period, and manifests itself when panicles are swept out, which turn into a dusty mass.
To fight the disease carry out autumn plowing, observe crop rotation, remove plant residues, and treat seeds.
Harvest and storage
To increase crop productivity, the grass is mowed approximately 2 months after sowing.. This way the Sudanese takes root better and grows faster. They mow it several times a season depending on the climatic conditions of the region.
Harvesting for hay, haylage and green fodder begins a few days before the panicle is thrown out. If you delay harvesting, the stems will become coarser, the quality of the feed will decrease and the livestock will not eat it so willingly.
A high yield of feed units and digestible protein is obtained when grass is harvested 7–10 days before the panicle is thrown out. In this case, the indicators of feed units will be approximately 49.7 c/ha, digestible protein - 7.2 c/ha. When harvested at the beginning of this phase - 47.9 and 5.6 c/ha, respectively. When the panicle is completely thrown out - 47.9 and 4.7 c/ha.
Reference. Digestible protein is part of the nitrogen-containing substances of feed that are absorbed from the digestive tract of animals into the blood and lymph.
Sudan grass propagation
Sudanese sorghum planted by seeds. The crop is sown in a wide-row manner. The distance between rows is 60–70 cm with a seeding rate of 12–15 kg/ha.
Sudan grass is a crop with a long growing season.. Higher yields of full-bodied and less moist seeds are obtained when planted early. Even with a slight delay, the seeds may not have time to ripen, which will reduce their quality.
In seed plots, the harvest is harvested when the panicles of the main stems ripen. At this time, the aboveground part is completely green. After 3-4 days, the plants mowed with monitor reapers are threshed using self-propelled combines.
Read also:
Secrets of successful agricultural technology
Compliance with basic recommendations will improve the quality and quantity of the harvest:
Seeds are planted when the soil warms up to +10...+12°C.If you sow earlier, the emergence of seedlings will be delayed, and the weeds, developing quickly, will suppress the young shoots. With timely sowing, the feeding qualities of green mass are improved.- Sowing in 2-3 periods at intervals of 3 weeks extends the period of use of Sudanese grass for green fodder.
- After planting, the soil is rolled with heavy ribbed or ring rollers: this will retain moisture in the soil and improve germination.
- When sowing, adding granular superphosphate at 50–60 kg/ha increases yield and accelerates ripening.
- When growing Sudanese for green fodder and silage, it is planted together with legumes: mixed crops increase the protein content in the feed.
Conclusion
Sudan grass is a valuable cereal plant from which high-quality and nutritious feed for livestock is prepared. The cereal contains protein, fats, fiber, and sugars that are valuable for animals. The technology for cultivating the crop is quite simple. The grass is unpretentious and resistant to pests and diseases.