In these difficult times, Cotton Incorporated will continue to develop and implement creative programs for the challenges ahead. Grain sorghum status in Texas may be a combination of Rodney Dangerfield's old shticks about not getting no respect and the Avis Car Rental commercial about trying harder when you're number two. It may be hard to garner much with sorghum prices too low to profit on average yields. Of course the same can be said about other food and feed grains. Still, folks see a lot of value in grain sorghum as an integral part of rotation systems.
Some studies indicate that cotton and sorghum yields both increase in rotation.
We've seen production of 10,000 pounds of sorghum per acre in the Texas Panhandle, following corn. Watson says the goal is to include sorghum in a rotation and develop best management practices that conserve water and improve soil. Research shows high yield increases in cotton behind sorghum. Also, we've noted less water use in cotton following grain sorghum. Watson says the Coastal Bend produces the largest percentage of the state's grain sorghum.