Cultivation

Silage and Haylage — Grain Sorghum

Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench subsp. bicolor

The use of grain sorghum for silage and haylage is based on its high energy value due to starch content in the grain and its drought resistance. The technology allows both harvesting biomass together with grain and separate grain threshing followed by the ensiling of the leaf-stem mass.

In the reference 42 varieties crop Sorghum, where this is mentioned in the description.

The energy value of silage made from grain sorghum approaches that of corn due to its high starch content. The optimal stage for silage harvesting is the milky-wax ripeness of the grain, at which a balance between sugar content, starch, and moisture of the mass is achieved. Varieties that retain stem juiciness after ripening allow for the use of a two-stage harvesting technology: threshing the grain followed by processing the remaining mass.

When harvesting grain sorghum for haylage, the target moisture content is 45–55%. Unlike corn, sorghum is more stable under drought conditions, yet it requires moisture control to minimize the risk of white mold development. When direct-combining mass with a moisture content above 70%, preservatives are necessary to prevent butyric acid fermentation, and the recommended cutting height is 12–14 cm.

General information about the subject — on the page Silage and haylage.

Sources8

Varieties of Sorghum mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.

Sokhatyi

Terminated

Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench subsp. bicolor · Sorghum

Kretynina Oksana Volodymyrivna, Hamandii Vasyl Leonidovych,

2 records

P 988

Terminated

Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench subsp. bicolor · Sorghum

PIONEER HI-BRED INTERNATIONAL

1 record

Balto