durra - definition, etymology and usage, examples and related words durra n durra sorghums of dry regions of Asia and North Africa *** Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary n Durra (Bot) A kind of millet, cultivated throughout Asia, and introduced into the south of Europe; a variety of Sorghum vulgare; -- called also Indian millet, and Guinea corn. *** n durra The Indian millet or Guinea corn, Sorghum vulgare. See sorghum. *** Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary n Durra dur′ra a genus of grasses closely allied to sugar-cane and beard-grass—also called Durra millet and Indian millet or Sorgho grass. Much cultivated in Asia, Africa, and the south of Europe Durra Also Dour′a, Dhur′ra, and Dur′a *** Usage In literature: The reference is possibly used to indicate a type of ancient grain resembling Egyptian Corn also known as Durra. "First Book of Adam and Eve" by Rutherford Platt Durra Schemail, of Kefr Shima.

"The Women of the Arabs" by Henry Harris Jessup During our stay here I engaged a man to swim over to the island opposite, to purchase some durra flour and dates. "A Narrative of the Expedition to Dongola and Sennaar" by George Bethune English Durra, or derra Bread. "The Gypsies" by Charles G. Leland Towns took the place of villages, with huts of the shape of bells, thatched with durra straw. "Celebrated Travels and Travellers" by Jules Verne The creek and valley of the Durra stream are very beautiful, and the church especially interesting. "The Cornwall Coast" by Arthur L. Salmon The chief grain crops are durra and barley, and date palms are extensively cultivated. "Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 6" by Various The crops mostly cultivated are sorghum, tobacco, sesame and durra. "Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 2" by Various The Egyptians used for their bread, wheat, spelt, barley and durra (sorghum).

"Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 4" by Various These are still cultivated, and maize and durra have been added. "The World and Its People: Book VII" by Anna B. Badlam Lower down durra, maize and bultuc grow in profusion. "Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 7" by Various Wheat and barley are sown in winter, and in spring, summer and autumn several kinds of durra, especially ksob and gafoli. "Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 3" by Various Durra and tobacco are the principal crops. "Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 2" by Various White durra of excellent quality is raised.

"Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 15, Slice 6" by Various *** Sorghum and millets in human nutrition Contents - Next For millions of people in the semi-arid tropics of Asia and Africa sorghum and millets are the most important staple foods. These crops sustain the lives of the poorest rural people and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Sorghum and millets grow in harsh environments where other crops do not grow well. Improvements in production, availability, storage, utilization and consumption of these food crops will significantly contribute to the household food security and nutrition of the inhabitants of these areas. Sorghum and millets in human nutrition is a new addition to the FAO Food and Nutrition Series. The publication is broad in scope and coverage, starting with the history and nature of sorghum and millets and dealing with production, utilization and consumption. It provides extensive information on the nutritional value, chemical composition, storage and processing of these foods. In addition, the anti-nutritional factors present in these foods and ways of reducing their health hazards are discussed.

The authors have described formulations of various popular foods prepared from sorghum and millets and their nutritional composition and quality, and they have compiled many recipes for the preparation of foods from regions where sorghum and millets are important dietary staples. An extensive bibliography is included as well. Readers of this book may also be interested in the standards for sorghum and pearl millet grains and flours prepared by the Codex Alimentarius Commission under the Joint FAD/WHO Food Standards Programme. FAO appreciates the collaboration and assistance of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in the preparation of this book. The Organization acknowledges the contributions of Dr R. Jambunathan and Dr V. Subramanian, both of ICRISAT, to Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 5 as well as those of Dr Y.G. Deosthale, of the National Institute of India, to Chapters 1, 4 and 6 and the Annex. Sorghum and millets in human nutrition is intended to provide up-to-date scientific and practical information to scientists, government officials, extension workers, university professors and others interested in these foods.

It is hoped that this text will assist them in the development of training programmes for their staff and students. J.R. Lupien Director Food and Nutrition Division 1 Codex Alimentarius Commission, 1990. Codex standards for cereals, pulses, legumes and derived products. Supplement 1 to Codex Alimentarius Vol. XVIII. Rome, FAO/WHO. 33 pp Chapter 1 - Introduction Sorghum and millets have been important staples in the semi-arid tropics of Asia and Africa for centuries. These crops are still the principal sources of energy, protein, vitamins and minerals for millions of the poorest people in these regions. Sorghum and millets are grown in harsh environments where other crops grow or yield poorly. They are grown with limited water resources and usually without application of any fertilizers or other inputs by a multitude of small-holder farmers in many countries. Therefore, and because they are mostly consumed by disadvantaged groups, they are often referred to as "coarse grain" or "poor people's crops". They are not usually traded in the international markets or even in local markets in many countries.

The farmers seldom, therefore, have an assured market in the event of surplus production. The cereals considered in this publication include sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, foxtail millet, common millet, little millet, barnyard millet and kodo millet (Table 1). Teff (Eragrostis tef), which is extensively cultivated in Ethiopia, is not strictly a millet and is therefore not included. Other millets such as fonio (Digitaria exilis) and Job's tears (Coix lancryma-jobi) are of minor importance and are not described here. Sorghum Sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, is known under a variety of names: great millet and guinea corn in West Africa, kafir corn in South Africa, dura in Sudan, mtama in eastern Africa, jowar in India and kaoliang in China (Purseglove, 1972). In the United States it is usually referred to as milo or milo-maize (Table 1). Sorghum belongs to the tribe Andropogonae of the grass family Poaceae.

Sugar cane, Saceharum officinarum, is a member of this tribe and a close relative of sorghum. The genus Sorghum is characterized by spikelets borne in pairs. Sorghum is treated as an annual, although it is a perennial grass and in the tropics it can be harvested many times. TABLE 1: Origins and common names of sorghum and millets Crop Kodo millet India In 1753 Linnaeus described in his Species platarum three species of cultivated sorghum: Holcus sorghum, Holcus saccaratus and Holcus tricolor. In 1794 Moench distinguished the genus Sorghum from the genus Holrcus, and in 1805 Person suggested the name Sorghum vulgare for Holcus sorghum (L.). In 1961 Clayton proposed the name Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench as the correct name for cultivated sorghum and this is currently being used. The classification of sorghum by Snowden ( 1936) is detailed and complete. Other classifications proposed since that time have been modifications or adaptations of the Snowden system.

Harlan and de Wet (1972) published a simplified classification of sorghum which has been checked against 10 000 head samples. They divided cultivated sorghum into five basic groups or races: bicolor, guinea, caudatum, kafir and durra. The wild type and shatter cane are considered two other spikelet types of S. tricolor. A study of polymorphism of 11 enzymes permitted classification of sorghum into three enzymatic groups. The first includes mainly guinea varieties of West Africa; the second southern African varieties of all five races; and the third durra and caudatum types of Central and East Africa (Ollitrault, Escoute and Noyer, 1989). The cultivated sorghum of the present arose from a wild progenitor belonging to the subspecies verticilliflorum. The greatest variation in the genus Sorghum is observed in the region of the northeast quadrant of Africa comprising Ethiopia, the Sudan and East Africa (Doggett, 1988 ). It appears that sorghum moved into eastern Africa from Ethiopia around 200 AD or earlier.

It was adopted and carried to the savannah countries of eastern and southern Africa by the Bantu people, who used the grain mainly to make beer. The Bantu people probably began their expansion from the region of southern Cameroon about the first century AD, moved along the southern border of the Congo forest belt and reached eastern Africa possibly before 500 AD. The present-day sorghums of central and southern Africa are closely related to those of the United Republic of Tanzania and more distantly related to those of West Africa, as the equatorial forests were an effective barrier to this spread. Sorghum was probably taken to India from eastern Africa during the first millennium BC. It is reported to have existed there around 1000 BC. Sorghum was probably taken in ships as food in the first instance; chow traffic has operated for some 3 000 years between East Africa (the Azanean Coast) and India via the Sebaean Lane in southern Arabia. The sorghums of India are related to those of northeastern Africa and the coast between Cape Guardafui and Mozambique.

The spread along the coast of Southeast Asia and around China may have taken place about the beginning of the Christian era, but it is also possible that sorghum arrived much earlier in China via the silk trade routes. Grain sorghum appears to have arrived in America as "guinea corn" from West Africa with the slave traders about the middle of the nineteenth century. Although sorghum arrived in Latin America through the slave trade and by navigators plying the Europe-Africa-Latin America trade route in the sixteenth century, the crop did not become important until the present century. The case is similar for Australia. Grain sorghum grown primarily for food uses can be divided into milo, kafir, hegari, feterita and hybrids (Purseglove, 1972). There are other classes of sorghums such as sorghos, grass sorghums, broom-corn sorghum and specialpurpose sorghum. The sorghum kernel varies in colour from white through shades of red and brown to pale yellow to deep purple-brown. The most common colours are white, bronze and brown. Kernels are generally spherical but vary in size and shape.

The caryopsis can be rounded and bluntly pointed, 4 to 8 mm in diameter (Purseglove, 1972). The I 000-kernel weight has a very wide range of values, from 3 to 80 g, but in the majority of varieties it is between 25 and 30 g. The grain is partially covered with glumes. Large grains with corneous endosperm are usually preferred for human consumption. Yellow endosperm with carotene and xanthophyll increases the nutritive value. Sorghum grain that has a testa contains tannin in varying proportions depending on the variety. Pearl millet Pearl millet, Pennisetum glaucum, is also known as spiked millet, bajra (in India) and bulrush millet (Purseglove, 1972). Pearl millet may be considered as a single species but it includes a number of cultivated races. It almost certainly originated in tropical western Africa, where the greatest number of both wild and cultivated forms occurs.

About 2 000 years ago the crop was carried to eastern and central Africa and to India, where because of its excellent tolerance to drought it became established in the drier environments. The height of the pearl millet plant may range from 0.5 to 4 m and the grain can be nearly white, pale yellow, brown, grey, slate blue or purple. The ovoid grains are about 3 to 4 mm long, much larger than those of other millets, and the 1 000-seed weight ranges from 2.5 to 14 g with a mean of 8 g. The size of the pearl millet kernel is about one-third that of sorghum. The relative proportion of germ to endosperm is higher than in sorghum. Minor millets Minor millets (also referred to as small millets) (Seetharam, Riley and Harinarayana, 1989) have received far less attention than sorghum in terms of cultivation and utilization.

They include finger millet (Eleusine coracana), foxtail millet (Setaria italica), kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum), common or prove millet (Panicum miliaceum), little millet (Panicum sumatrense) and barnyard or sawa millet (Echinochloa crus-galli and Echinochloa corona) (Table 1). More information is available on finger millet than on any of the others. Minor millets account for less than one percent of the foodgrains produced in the world today. Thus they are not important in terms of world food production, but they are essential as food crops in their respective agro-ecosystems. They are mostly grown in marginal areas or under agricultural conditions where major cereals fail to give sustainable yields. Detailed descriptions of these millets are given by Purseglove ( 1972).

Finger millet Finger millet, Eleusine coracana L., is also known as African millet, koracan, ragi (India), wimbi (Swahili), bulo (Uganda) and telebun (the Sudan). It is an important staple food in parts of eastern and central Africa and India. It is the principal cereal grain in northern and parts of western Uganda and northeastern Zambia. The grains are malted for making beer. Finger millet can be stored for long periods without insect damage (Purseglove, 1972) and thus it can be important during famine. Numerous cultivars have been identified. In India and Africa, two groups are recognized: African highland types with grains enclosed within the florets; and Afro-Asiatic types with mature grains exposed outside the florets. It is believed that Uganda or a neighbouring region is the centre of origin of E. coracana, and it was introduced to India at a very early date, probably over 3 000 years ago. Though finger millet is reported to have reached Europe at about the commencement of the Christian era, its utilization is restricted mostly to eastern Africa and India.

The height of cultivars varies from 40 cm to I m and the spike length ranges from 3 to 13 cm. The colour of grains may vary from white through orange-red deep brown and purple, to almost black. The grains are smaller than those of pearl millet, and the mean I 000-seed weight is about 2.6 g. Foxtail millet Foxtail millet, Setaria italica L., is also known as Italian, German Hungarian or Siberian millet. It is generally considered to have been domesticated in eastern Asia, where it has been cultivated since ancient times. The main production area is China, but S. italic a is the most important millet in Japan and is widely cultivated in India (Purseglove, 1972). It is believed to have been one of the five sacred plants of ancient China (from 2700 BC). Because of its short duration it is a suitable crop for growing by nomads, and it was probably brought to Europe in this way during the Stone Age, as seeds abound in the Lake Dwellings in Europe.

The height of the plants varies from 1 to 1.5 m and the colour of the grain varies from pale yellow, through orange, red and brown to black. The 1 000-seed weight is about 2 g. Common millet Common millet, Panicum miliaceum L., is also known as prove millet, hog millet, broom-corn millet, Russian millet and brown corn. This millet is of ancient cultivation. It is the milium of the Romans and the true millet of history. It was cultivated by the early Lake Dwellers in Europe. It is believed to have been domesticated in central and eastern Asia and because of its ability to mature quickly was often grown by nomads. The shallow-rooted plant varies in height between 30 and 100 cm. The grain contains a comparatively high percentage of indigestible fibre because the seeds are enclosed in the hulls and are difficult to remove by conventional milling processes. The 1 000-seed weight is about 5 g (varying between 4.7 and 7.2 g).

Common millet is particularly suited to dry continental conditions and grows in more temperate climates than other millets. Little millet Little millet, Panicum sumatrense Roth ex Roemer & Schultes, is grown throughout India to a limited extent up to altitudes of 2 100 m but is of little importance elsewhere. It has received comparatively little attention from plant breeders. The plant varies in height between 30 and 90 cm and its oblong panicle varies in length between 14 and 40 cm. The seeds of little millet are smaller than those of common millet. Barnyard millet Barnyard, Japanese barnyard or sawa millet [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P.B. and Echinochloa colona (L.) Link] is the fastest growing of all millets and produces a crop in six weeks. It is grown in India, Japan and China as a substitute for rice when the paddy fails. It is grown as a forage crop in the United States and can produce as many as eight harvests per year. The plant has attracted some attention as a fodder in the United States and Japan.

The height of the plant varies between 50 and 100 cm. Kodo millet Kodo millet, Paspalum scrobiculatum L., is a minor grain crop in India but is of great importance in the Deccan Plateau. Its cultivation in India is generally confined to Gujarat, Karnataka and parts of Tamil Nadu. It is classified into the groups Haria, Choudharia, Kodra and Haria-Choudharia depending on panicle characters. Kodo is an annual tufted grass that grows to 90 cm high. Some forms have been reported to be poisonous to humans and animals, possibly because of a fungus infecting the grain. The grain is enclosed in hard, corneous, persistent husks that are difficult to remove. The grain may vary in colour from light red to dark grey. sorghum facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about sorghum The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.

Copyright The Columbia University Press sorghum, tall, coarse annual (Sorghum vulgare) of the family Gramineae ( grass family), somewhat similar in appearance to corn (but having the grain in a panicle rather than an ear) and used for much the same purposes. Probably indigenous to Africa, it is one of the longest-cultivated plants of warm regions there and also in Asia—especially in India and China. Because of its extreme drought resistance (because of the unusually extensive branching root system) and its ability to withstand hotter climates than corn, sorghum has been introduced to the United States and other regions. The innumerable varieties are generally classified as the sweet sorghums or sorgos, yielding sorghum syrups and molasses from the cane juice; the broomcorns, yielding a fiber from the inflorescence that is used for making brooms; the grass sorghums (e.g., Sudan grass), used for pasture and hay; and the grain sorghums, e.g., durra, feterita, kaffir or kaffir corn, kaoliang, milo or milo maize, and shallu.

The pulverized grain is used for stock and poultry feeds and, in the Old World, for food. Sorghums also provide cover crops and green manures, grain substitutes for many industrial processes that employ corn, and fuel and weaving material from the stems. In the United States, sorghum is grown throughout the Great Plains area and in Arizona and California; about half the crop is used for forage and silage and half for feed grains. Only a small amount is grown for syrup, most of which is consumed locally. Johnson grass (S. halapense), a perennial native to the Mediterranean that is similar to Sudan grass, is naturalized in the United States, especially in the Southwest. It is a noxious weed in cultivated fields but is also used as a forage crop. Sorghum is classified in the division Magnoliophyta , class Liliopsida, order Cyperales, family Gramineae. See bulletins of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. MLA COPYRIGHT 2003 The Gale Group Inc. SORGHUM SORGHUM.

In the 1840s the United States imported sorghum seeds from Liberia and grew the plants with a view to manufacturing sugar commercially from their juice. All such attempts proved futile, however, since glucose is the only saccharine matter in the plant. Colonel Isaac Hedges of Missouri was the greatest promoter of the product. During the Civil War, when Southern molasses was unavailable in the North, sorghum became a popular product in the Upper Mississippi Valley. Farmers used large wooden knives to strip sorghum stalks of their leaves as the plants stood in the field. They then cut the stalks and hauled them to a local mill where they were run between rollers to extract the juice, which was boiled to the proper consistency in large vats. Great quantities of this "long sweetening" were made and used as a substitute for sugar on the prairie frontier. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ledbetter, William M. "Isaac Hedges' Vision of a Sorghum-Sugar Industry in Missouri," Missouri Historical Review 21, no. 3 (1926): 361–369. EverettDick/c. w.

A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition © A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. sorghum Sorghum vulgare, S. bicolor; cereals that thrive in semi‐arid regions and provide important human food in tropical Africa, central and north India , and China . Sorghum produced in the USA and Australia is used for animal feed. Also known as kaffir corn (in South Africa ), guinea corn (in west Africa), jowar (in India), Indian millet, and millo maize. The white‐grain variety is eaten as meal; the red‐grained has a bitter taste and is used for beer; sugar syrup is obtained from the crushed stems of the sweet sorghum. A 200‐g portion is a rich source of protein, vitamin B1, niacin, and iron; a good source of zinc; a source of vitamin B2; provides 14 g of dietary fibre; supplies 660 kcal (2800 kJ). See also millet .

Cite this article Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes © Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes 2007, originally published by Oxford University Press 2007.

sorghum •amalgam • Targum • begum •Brigham • lingam • ogham • sorghum •Nahum • Belgium • dodgem •Brummagem • stratagem • Rackham •Malcolm • Ascham • Beckham •welcome • vade mecum • stickum •dinkum • modicum • hypericum •capsicum • viaticum • practicum •Occam •hokum, locum, oakum •bunkum •alum, Calum, mallam, vallum •Pablum • Haarlem , Harlem, Malayalam, slalom •antebellum, cerebellum, elm, helm, overwhelm, pelham, realm, underwhelm, vellum •emblem • bedlam • peplum •exemplum • wychelm • Kenelm •Salem • velum •aspergillum, chillum, film, vexillum •Whitlam • clingfilm • telefilm •microfilm •asylum, hilum, phylum, whilom •column, olm, solemn •problem • golem • hoodlum • Ulm •incunabulum, pabulum •coag

ulum • pendulum • speculum •curriculum • cimbalom • paspalum •Absalom • Jerusalem • tantalum Cite this article Sorghum : definition of Sorghum and synonyms of Sorghum (English) Species About 30 species, see text Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses , one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture.

The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents in addition to the southwest Pacific and Australasia . Sorghum is in the subfamily Panicoideae and the tribe Andropogoneae (the tribe of big bluestem and sugar cane ). Other names include sorghum, durra, Egyptian millet, feterita, Guinea corn (Africa), jwari, jowar (India), juwar, milo (Spain), kaolian (China), shallu, Sudan grass, jondle, solam and jawari (Maharashtra, India), cholam (Tamil Nadu, India), jola (Karnataka, India), jonnalu (Andhra Pradesh, India), gaoliang, great millet, dura, dari, and mtama. For more specific details on commercially exploited sorghum, see commercial sorghum , also known as milo. Sorghum has been, for centuries, one of the most important staple foods for millions of poor rural people in the semiarid tropics of Asia and Africa.

For some impoverished regions of the world, sorghum remains a principal source of energy, protein, vitamins and minerals. Sorghum grows in harsh environments where other crops do not grow well, just like other staple foods, such as cassava , that are common in impoverished regions of the world. It is usually grown without application of any fertilizers or other inputs by a multitude of small-holder farmers in many countries. [1] Grain sorghum is the third most important cereal crop grown in the United States and the fifth most important cereal crop grown in the world. In 2010, Nigeria was the world's largest producer of grain sorghum, followed by the United States and India. In developed countries, and increasingly in developing countries such as India, the predominant use of sorghum is as fodder for poultry and cattle. [2] [3] Leading exporters in 2010 were the United States, Australia and Argentina; Mexico was the largest importer of sorghum. An international effort is underway to improve sorghum farming and to find additional applications for it. It is now finding demand primarily as poultry feed, and secondarily as cattle feed and in brewing applications.

[4] Contents 9 External links Description Sorghum is a self-pollinating plant. It is more drought- and temperature-resistant than maize (corn), soybeans, wheat and other crops. The height of the plant depends on the breed and growing conditions, varying between 60 and 460 cm. The long, wide leaves grow off the stalk. Sorghum seed is small and round. A seed head is usually between 25 and 36 cm in height, present on the top of the stalk of a mature sorghum plant. [5] Sorghum seed consists of three major anatomic sections - the pericarp (outer layer), the endosperm (storage organ) and the germ. The pericarp is made of three segments - epicarp, mesocarp and endocarp. The epicarp is the outermost layer covered with a thin, waxy film. The mesocarp consists of a large amount of starch granules. Sorghum is claimed to be the only food staple to contain starch in this anatomical section of the seed. Sorghum's endosperm is composed of aleurone layer, peripheral, corneous and floury areas.

The aleurone contains proteins (protein bodies and enzymes), ash (phytin bodies) and oil (spherosomes). The germ has two major parts: the embryonic axis and the embryonic disc. The protein of the germ contains high levels of lysine and tryptophan that are of unusually good quality for human consumption, as well as for feed. History A farm with traditional and hybrid varieties of sorghum Sorghum is native to the tropical areas in Africa. The oldest cultivation record dates back to 3000 B.C. in Egypt. The original variety of sorghum was purple or red and the seed coat was red. [5] In the 1950s, hybrid sorghums were developed for higher yields, and it became a popular crop as yields increased dramatically. The hybrid variety also offered the color and taste preferred by consumers. Sorghum grown in the United States is usually this hybrid variety, which is a white sorghum with a white seed coat, champagne-colored body and wheat-colored head. In other parts of the world, red or purple varieties of low-yield sorghum continue to be grown. Sorghum is now a globally important commercial crop.

Cultivation and uses Sorghum output in 2005 One species, Sorghum bicolor , [6] is an important world crop, used for food (as grain and in sorghum syrup or "sorghum molasses" ), fodder , the production of alcoholic beverages , and biofuels. Most varieties are drought - and heat-tolerant, and are especially important in arid regions, where the grain is one of the staples for poor and rural people. These varieties form important components of pastures in many tropical regions. Sorghum is an important food crop in Africa , Central America , and South Asia and is the "fifth most important cereal crop grown in the world". [7] Some species of sorghum can contain levels of hydrogen cyanide , hordenine and nitrates lethal to grazing animals in the early stages of the plant's growth. When stressed by drought or heat, plants can also contain toxic levels of cyanide and/or nitrates at later stages in growth. [8] Another Sorghum species, Johnson grass (S. halapense), is classified as an invasive species in the US by the Department of Agriculture . [9] Sorghum vulgare var.

technicum is commonly called broomcorn. [10] Sorghum field in Central America Production trends FAO reported the United States of America was the top producer of sorghum in 2009, with a harvest of 9.7 million tonnes. The next four major producers of sorghum, in decreasing quantities, were India , Nigeria , Sudan and Ethiopia . The other major sorghum producing regions in the world, by harvested quantities, were: Australia, Brazil, China, Burkina Faso, Argentina, Mali, Cameroon, Egypt, Niger, United Republic of Tanzania, Chad, Uganda, Mozambique, Venezuela, and Ghana. [11] The world harvested 55.6 million tonnes of sorghum in 2010. The world average annual yield for the 2010 sorghum crop was 1.37 tonnes per hectare. The most productive farms of sorghum were in Jordan , where the national average annual yield was 12.7 tonnes per hectare. The national annual average yield in world's largest producing country, the USA, was 4.5 tonnes per hectare.

[12] The allocation of farm area to sorghum crops has been dropping, while the yields per hectare have been increasing. The biggest sorghum crop the world produced in the last 40 years was in 1985, with 77.6 million tonnes harvested that year. Nutritional profile of sorghum Sorghum is about 70% starch, so is a good energy source. Its starch consists of 70 to 80% amylopectin , a branched-chain polymer of glucose, and 20 to 30% amylose , a straight-chain polymer. The digestibility of the sorghum starch is relatively poor in its unprocessed form, varying between 33 and 48%. Processing of the grain by methods such as steaming, pressure-cooking, flaking, puffing or micronization of the starch increases the digestibility of sorghum starch. This has been attributed to a release of starch granules from the protein matrix, rendering them more susceptible to enzymatic digestion. On cooking, the gelatinized starch of sorghum tends to return from the soluble, dispersed and amorphous state to an insoluble crystalline state.

This phenomenon is known as retrogradation ; it is enhanced with low temperatures and high concentrations of starch. Amylose, the linear component of the starch, is more susceptible to retrogradation. Certain sorghum varieties contain antinutritional factors such as tannins . The presence of tannins is claimed to contribute to the poor digestibility of sorghum starch. Processing in humid thermal environments aids in lowering the antinutritional factors. Sorghum starch does not contain gluten. This makes it a possible grain for those who are gluten sensitive. [5] After starch, proteins are the main constituent of sorghum. The essential amino acid profile of sorghum protein is claimed to depend on the sorghum variety, soil and growing conditions. A wide variation has been reported. For example, lysine content in sorghum has been reported to vary from 71 to 212 mg per gram of nitrogen. [1] Some studies on sorghum's amino acid composition suggest albumin and globulin fractions contained high amounts of lysine and tryptophan and in general were well-balanced in their essential amino acid composition.

On the other hand, some studies claim sorghum's prolamin fraction was extremely poor in lysine, arginine, histidine and tryptophan and contained high amounts of proline, glutamic acid and leucine. The digestibility of sorghum protein has also been found to vary between different varieties and source of sorghum, ranging from 30 to 70%. A World Health Organization report suggests the inherent capacity of the existing sorghum varieties commonly consumed in poor countries was not adequate to meet the growth requirements of infants and young children. The report also claimed sorghum alone may not be able to meet the healthy maintenance requirements in adults. A balanced diet would supplement sorghum with other food staples. Sorghum's nutritional profile includes several minerals. This mineral matter is unevenly distributed and is more concentrated in the germ and the seed coat. In milled sorghum flours, minerals such as phosphorus, iron, zinc and copper decreased with lower extraction rates. Similarly, pearling the grain to remove the fibrous seed coat resulted in considerable reductions in the mineral contents of sorghum. The presence of antinutrition factors such as tannins in sorghum reduces its mineral availability as food.

It is important to process and prepare sorghum properly to improve its nutrition value. Sorghum is a good source of B-complex vitamins. Some varieties of sorghum contain ß-carotene which can be converted to vitamin A by the human body; given the photosensitive nature of carotenes and variability due to environmental factors, scientists claim sorghum is likely to be of little importance as a dietary source of vitamin A precursor. Some fat-soluble vitamins, namely D, E and K, have also been found in sorghum grain in detectable, but insufficient, quantities. Sorghum as it is generally consumed is not a source of vitamin C. Comparison of sorghum to other major staple foods The following table shows the nutrient content of sorghum and compares it to major staple foods in a raw form. Raw forms of these staples, however, are not edible and cannot be digested. These must be prepared and cooked as appropriate for human consumption. In processed and cooked form, the relative nutritional and antinutritional contents of each of these grains is remarkably different from that of the raw forms reported in this table.

The nutrition value for each staple food in cooked form depends on the cooking method (for example: boiling, baking, steaming, frying, etc.). Ethanol Crops | Bio Fuel Park Publications Ethanol Crops Bio-ethanol is obtained from the conversion of carbon based feedstock. The feedstock used for Bioethanol production can be grouped as following Sugary Crops- Sugarcane, sugar beet, rotten fruits and molasses. Starchy Crops- sorghum, grain sorghum, switch grass, poplar, barley, hemp, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava, sunflower, stover, grain, wheat. Cellulosic Crops- wood, paper, straw and cotton. Other biomass-whey or skim milk, grass, agricultural residues. 1. Sugarcane: Sugarcane or Sugar cane (Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species of tall grasses belonging to family Poaceae, native to temperate and tropical regions of the Old World. The stalk is stout, jointed, fibrous that are rich in sugar and measure 2 to 6 meters tall.

All of the sugarcane species interbreed and the major commercial cultivars are complex hybrids Cultivation and uses: About 200 countries grow the crop sugarcane to produce 1,324 million tons. Uses of sugar cane include the production of sugar, molasses, rum, and ethanol for fuel. Sugarcane cultivation requires a tropical or subtropical climate, with a minimum of 600 mm (24 in) of annual moisture. It is one of the most efficient photosynthesizers in the plant kingdom able to convert up to 2 percent of incident solar energy into biomass. Sugarcane is propagated from cuttings, rather than from seeds; although certain types still produce seeds, modern methods of stem cuttings have become the most common method of reproduction. Each cutting must contain at least one bud, and the cuttings are usually planted by hand. Once planted, a stand of cane can be harvested several times; after each harvest, the cane sends up new stalks, called ratoons. Usually, each successive harvest gives a smaller yield, and eventually the declining yields justify replanting. Depending on agricultural practice, two to ten harvests may be possible between plantings. 2.

Corn Maize (Zea mays ssp. mays), also known as corn, is native to Mesoamerica. However, it is popularly called corn in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. Corn is a shortened form of “Indian corn”, i.e. the Indian grain. It is called mealies in Southern Africa. Some maize varieties grow 7 m (23 ft) tall at certain locations; commercial maize has been bred for a height of 2.5 m (8 ft). Sweetcorn is usually shorter than field-corn varieties. Stem has the resemblance of bamboo canes and the joints (nodes) are about 20–30 cm (8–12 in) apart. Maize has a very distinct growth form, the lower leaves being like broad flags, 50–100 cm long and 5–10 cm wide (2–4 ft by 2–4 in); the stems are erect, conventionally 2–3 m (7–10 ft) in height, with many nodes, casting off flag-leaves at every node. Under these leaves and close to the stem grow the ears.

Cultivation and uses Maize (Zea mays) is widely cultivated throughout the world and a greater weight of maize is produced each year than any other grain. While the United States produces almost half of the world’s harvest, other top producing countries are as widespread as China, Brazil, France, Indonesia, and South Africa. The primary use of maize is as a feed for livestock, forage, silage or grain. The grain also has many industrial uses, including transformation into plastics and fabrics. Maize is hydrolyzed and enzymatically treated to produce syrups, particularly high fructose corn syrup, a sweetener; it can be fermented and distilled to produce grain alcohol. Grain alcohol from maize is traditionally the source of bourbon whiskey. Maize is alternatively used as a biomass fuel, such as ethanol 3. Sugar Beet: Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.), a member of the family Chenopodiaceae, is a plant whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose. It is grown commercially for sugar. The sugar beet is directly related to the beetroot, chard and fodder beet, all descended by cultivation from the sea beet.

The European Union, the United States, and Russia are the world’s three largest sugar beet producers, although only Europe and Ukraine are significant exporters of sugar from beet. Beet sugar accounts for 30% of the world’s sugar production. Cultivation and uses Sugar beet is a hardy biennial plant that can be grown commercially in a wide variety of temperate climates. During its first growing season, it produces a large (1–2 kg) storage root whose dry mass is 15–20% sucrose by weight. In commercial beet production, the root is harvested after the first growing season, when the root is at its maximum size. In most temperate climates, beets are planted in the spring and harvested in the autumn. In warmer climates, sugar beets are a winter crop, being planted in the autumn and harvested in the spring. Beets are planted from a small seed; 1 kg of beet seed comprises 100,000 seeds and will plant over a hectare of ground (1 lb will plant about an acre). Unrefined sugary syrup can be produced directly from sugar beet. This sugar beet syrup is widely used for the production of Sugar and Ethanol.

Commercially, if the syrup has a Dextrose Equivalency above 30 DE, the product has to be hydrolyzed and converted to a high fructose syrup, much like High Fructose Corn Syrup, or iso-glucose syrup in the EU. 4. Sorghum Sorghum is a genus of about 30 species of grasses raised for grain, native to tropical and subtropical regions of Eastern Africa, with one species native to Mexico. The plant is cultivated in Southern Europe, Central America and Southern Asia. Other names include Durra, Egyptian millet, Feterita, Guinea Corn, Jowar, Juwar, kaffir corn, Milo, Shallu and Sudan Grass. Cultivation and Uses: Sorghum requires an average temperature of at least 25°C to produce maximum grain yields in a given year. Maximum photosynthesis is achieved at daytime temperatures of at least 30°C. Night time temperatures below 13°C for more than a few days can severely impact the plant’s potential grain production. Sorghum cannot be planted until soil temperatures have reached 17°C.

The long growing season, usually 90–120 days, causes yields to be severely decreased if plants are not in the ground early enough. Grain Sorghum is usually planted with a commercial corn seeder at a depth of 2–5 cm, depending on the density of the soil (shallower in heavier soil). The goal in planting, when working with fertile soil, is 50,000 to 300,000 plants per hectare. Therefore, with an average emergence rate of 75%, sorghum should be planted at a rate of 2–12 kg of seed per hectare. It has been found that yields can be boosted by 10-15% when optimum use of moisture and sunlight are obtained by planting in 25 cm rows instead of the conventional 1 m rows. Sorghum in general is a very competitive crop and does well in competition with weeds in narrow rows. Sorghum is the “fifth most important cereal crop grown in the world”. It is used for food, fodder, and the production of alcoholic beverages. It is drought tolerant and heat tolerant and is especially important in arid regions.

In India, Sorghum is increasingly being used in recent times as a substitute for sugarcane in the production of ethanol. 5. Wheat Wheat (Triticum spp.) is a grass that is cultivated worldwide. Globally, it is the most important human food grain and ranks second in total production as a cereal crop behind maize; the third being rice Cultivation and uses: Wheat is widely cultivated as a cash crop because it produces a good yield per unit area, grows well in a temperate climate even with a moderately short growing season and yields versatile, high-quality flour that is widely used in baking. Wheat grain is a staple food used to make flour for leavened, flat and steamed breads; cookies, cakes, pasta, noodles and couscous and for fermentation to make beer, alcohol, biofuel. The husk of the grain, separated when milling white flour, is bran. Wheat is planted to a limited extent as a forage crop for livestock and the straw can be used as fodder for livestock or as a construction material for roofing thatch. 6.

Potato: Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a perennial plant belonging to the family Solanaceae, commonly grown for its starchy tuber. Potatoes are the world’s most widely grown tuber crop and the fourth largest crop in terms of fresh produce (after rice, wheat, and maize), but this ranking is inflated due to the high water content of fresh potatoes relative to that of other crops. Cultivation and uses: Potatoes grow best in cool climates with good rainfall or irrigation such as in Western Europe. But they are also widely grown in the subtropical lowlands of the Indo-Gangetic plains of India (as a winter crop) and in the highlands of southwest China (for example, Sichuan and Yunnan province) and in equatorial highlands of Java. Potatoes are generally grown from the eyes of another potato. Potatoes are rich in carbohydrate content and include protein, minerals (particularly potassium) and vitamins. Freshly harvested potatoes retain more vitamin C than stored potatoes.Potatoes also provides starch, flour, alcohol, dextrin, and livestock fodder. 7.

Sweet potato: Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a crop plant whose large, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are an important root vegetable. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. The sweet potato is only distantly related to the potato (Solanum tuberosum). The sweet potatoes are sometimes called “yams”. The plant is a herbaceous perennial vine, bearing alternate heart-shaped or palmately lobed leaves and medium-sized sympetalous flowers. The edible tuberous root is long and tapered, with a smooth skin whose color ranges between red, purple, brown and white. Its flesh ranges between white, yellow, orange, and purple. Cultivation and uses: Sweet potatoes are cultivated throughout tropical and warm temperate regions wherever there is sufficient water to support their growth. The plant does not tolerate frost. It grows best at an average temperature of 24 °C (75 °F). Depending on the cultivar and conditions, tuberous roots mature in 2 to 9 months. Sweet potatoes rarely flower when the daylight is longer than 11 hours, as is normal outside of the tropics.

They are mostly propagated by stem or root cuttings or by adventitious roots called “slips” that grow out from the tuberous roots during storage. True seeds are used for breeding only. Although the leaves and shoots are also edible, the starchy tuberous roots are by far the most important product. In some tropical areas, they are a staple food-crop. Besides starch, they are rich in dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. All cultivars are more-or-less sweet-flavored.Industrial uses include the production of starch and industrial alcohol. All parts of the plant are used for animal feed. In South America the juice of red sweet potatoes is combined with lime juice to make a dye for cloth. By varying the proportions of the juices every shade from pink to purple to black can be obtained. 8. Switch grass: Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) also called Tall Panic Grass, is a warm-season plant and is one of the dominant species of the central North America. Other common names for this grass include Wobsqua grass, lowland switchgrass, blackbent, tall prairie grass, wild redtop, and thatch grass.

This hardy, perennial grass begins growth in late spring. It can grow up to 1.8-2.2 m in height but is typically shorter than Big Bluestem Grass (Andropogon gerardii) or Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans). The leaves are 30-90 cm long with a prominent midrib. Due to its hardiness and rapid growth, switchgrass is often considered a good candidate for farming as feedstock or for ethanol production. Switchgrass has the potential to produce the biomass required for production of up to 400 liters of ethanol per metric tonne. A high yield like this makes it a very attractive crop to grow as the value by far exceeds any other crop. 9. Wood: Wood is derived from woody plants, notably trees and also shrubs. Wood from the latter is only produced in small sizes, reducing the diversity of uses. It is the secondary xylem of a woody plant, but this is an approximation only: in the wider sense, wood may refer to other materials and tissues with comparable properties. Wood is a heterogeneous, hygroscopic, cellular and anisotropic material.

Wood is composed of fibers of cellulose (40%–50%) and hemicellulose (15%–25%) held together by lignin (15%–30%). Of all the types of wood, Poplar and Willow are most commonly used for Ethanol Production. 10. Cassava Cassava or manioc (Manihot esculenta) is a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae that is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrate. The boiled cassava could be diluted to produce a drink called caxiri. Caxiri was often left to ferment for several days and even months. Alternatively chewing and fermentation of cassava gruel produced cauim, a mild alcoholic beverage, which is consumed in vast quantities. Another mild alcoholic beverage pajuaru was made by soaking stacked cassava pancakes in water for three days. This produces a starchy, brown, moldy lump that is then diluted. 11. Hemp: Hemp is a common name for Cannabis and the name most used when this annual plant is grown for non-drug purposes.

When grown for industrial purposes hemp is often called industrial hemp. Biofuels such as biodiesel and alcohol fuel can be made from the oils in hemp seeds and stalks and the fermentation of the plant as a whole respectively. 12. Kenaf: Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) is a species of Hibiscus, probably native to southern Asia, though its exact natural origin is unknown. Other names include Bimli, Ambary, Ambari Hemp, Deccan Hemp, and Bimlipatum Jute. The name also applies to the fiber obtained from this plant. Kenaf is one of the allied fibers of jute and shows similar characteristics. The main uses of kenaf fiber are the manufacture of rope, twine, coarse cloth (similar to that made from jute) and paper. Because it is very fast-growing compared to most trees, kenaf is a promising alternative to wood pulp for paper making that could free valuable timber for other uses. Kenaf seeds yield a vegetable oil that, while considered inedible, is used for industrial purposes and as oil-lamp fuel.Emerging uses of kenaf fiber include engineered wood, insulation, and clothing-grade cloth, ethanol production. 13.

Miscanthus: Miscanthus is a genus of about 15 species of perennial grasses native to subtropical and tropical regions of Africa and southern Asia, with one species (M. sinensis) extending north into temperate eastern Asia. It can grow to heights of 3.5 m over 5 to 6 years. Its dry weight annual yield can reach 25t/ha (10t/acre). It is sometimes called “Elephant Grass”. The rapid growth, low mineral content and high biomass yield of Miscanthus make it a favorite choice as a biofuel. After harvest, it can be burned to produce heat and power turbines. The resulting CO2 emissions are equal to the amount of CO2 that the plant used up from the atmosphere during its growing phase, and thus the process is greenhouse gas-neutral. When mixed in a 50%-50% mixture with coal, it can be used in some current coal-burning power plants without modifications. 14, Paper: Paper is a fat, thick material produced by the amalgamation of plant fibers, which are subsequently held together without extra binder, largely by oxygen bonds and to a large degree by fiber entanglement.

The fibers used are usually natural and composed of cellulose. The most common source of these kinds of fibers is wood pulp from pulpwood trees, largely softwoods such as spruce. However, other vegetable fiber materials including cotton, hemp, linen, and rice may be used. The high cellulose content makes it one of the most favorite raw materials for ethanol production. 15. Stover: Stover consists of the leaves and stalks of corn (maize), sorghum or soybean plants that are left in a field after harvest. It can be directly grazed by cattle or dried for use as fodder (forage). It is similar to straw, the residue left after any cereal grain or grass has been harvested at maturity for its seed. Stover has attracted some attention as a potential alternative fuel source and as biomass for fermentations. 16. Straw: Straw is an agricultural byproduct, the dry stalk of a cereal plant, after the nutrient grain or seed has been removed. Straw makes up about half of the yield of a cereal crop such as barley, oats, rice, rye or wheat. The use of straw as a carbon-neutral energy source is increasing rapidly, especially for biobutanol. 17.

Olive Wood & Sunflower Stalk: Olive wood and sunflower stalks are two of the most abundant, renewable lignocellulosic residues occurring in Mediterranean countries. To date, these crop residues have no specific use but being burnt for domestic use (olive wood) or ground and scattered in the fields. As an alternative, these residues could potentially serve as a low cost feedstock for the production of fuel ethanol. Following are some of the merits of using Cellulosic Crops for the production of ethanol: Low-maintenance crops – Production of a perennial cellulosic biomass crop such as switch grass requires lower inputs of energy, fertilizer, pesticide, and herbicide. Recycling of nutrients – Since crops like switchgrass are deep-rooted perennials (i.e., they are not replanted and cultivated every year), their extensive root systems increase nutrient capture, improve soil quality, sequester carbon, and reduce erosion. Converting cellulose to ethanol increases the net energy balance of ethanol compared to converting corn to ethanol. Cellulosic crops also have significantly lower carbon emissions. While corn-based ethanol reduces carbon emissions by about 20 percent below gasoline, cellulosic ethanol is predicted to be carbon-neutral, or possibly even net-carbon-negative.

Cellulosic ethanol use can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Ethanol made from these crops will become cost-competitive, won’t compete with food for cropland, and will have a sizeable positive energy balance. Perennial energy crops provide a better environment for more-diverse wildlife habitation. Finally, cellulosic biomass differs from corn kernels in that it contains substantial amounts of non-fermentable, energy-rich components that can be used to provide energy for the conversion process as well as to produce electricity. Sorghum bicolor Basic Botanical Description.Sorghum bicolor Extract Sorghum bicolor Moench. Sorghum bicolor Basic Botanical Description.: Sorghum bicolor;Black Seeded Sorghum Sorghum bicolor Sorghum is a secondary noxious weed in Iowa because it can cause problems in corn and soybean fields, but it is also planted as a crop for syrup and grain. Horticultural selections have been made for color and height. Ornamental sorghum is an easily grown annual. The attractive seed heads can be used for fresh or dried arrangements. Many of the available selections are very tall and are a dramatic backdrop for other plants. Sorghum is a coarse, erect grass.

Its growth characteristics can vary quite drastically and a fully matured plant can range in height from 0.45 to over 5 m. Sorghum is often fed to lactating cows, while grazing of sorghum crops by beef cattle is done on a more limited basis. Sorghum must be supplemented with protein, calcium, and other minerals, and must be cracked, rolled, or steam flaked for best animal digestibility. Habitat: cultivated fields - especially cereal crops Life cycle: annual Growth Habit: 4-8 feet tall; resembles corn, but smaller Leaves: 1-2.5 inch wide blades with white midveins Inflorescence: July - October. Large panicles of rounded shiny black or red seeds that shatter easily. Stem: smooth. Root: fibrous root system; often forms brace roots as well Similar plants: Shattercane resembles forage sorghum and corn. It is also similar to johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense), but lacks rhizomes and has tighter panicles and wider leaf blades. Shattercane is an annual, while johnsongrass is a perennial.

This is a cane like grass, up to 6m tall with large brached clusters of grains. The individual grains are small- about 3-4 mm in diameter. They vary in colour from pale yellow through reddish brown to dark brown depending on the cultivar. Most cultivars are annuals, few are perennials. Cultivated and most weedy sorghum are non-rhizomatous, culms nodes are either glabrous or shortly tomentose. The inflorescence is contracted. The branches of the inflorescence alternate. Sorghum bicolor includes all cultivated sorghums as well as a group of semi wild plants often regarded as weeds. Historical records and archeological data have not been able to clearly state the origin and domestication of Sorghum bicolor. Previously 571 cultivars were recognized, however these cross readily without barriers of sterility or difference in genetic balance, therefore it makes sense to group them into a single species. It is for this reason that it is not an easy task for taxonomists to work with species but it is an advantage to the plant breeder because they can manipulate the genetic make-up of this group to acquire best crops.

Wild species are characterized by distinct ring of long hairs at the nodes, they have loose inflorescence with spreading branches. The branches of the inflorescence are whorled. The leaves look much like those of maize, they sometimes roll over. A single plant may have more than two leaves. The flower head carries two types of flowers, one type has no stalk and has both male and female parts, and the other flower is stalked and is usually male.

Summer annual, coarse, erect with much variability in growth characteristics; culms solid or sometimes with spaces in pith, 0.6~5 m tall, depending on variety and growing conditions, 5 to over 30 mm in diameter, either dry at maturity or with sweet insipid juice; leaves broad and coarse, similar in shape to those of corn but shorter and wider; blades glabrous and waxy; sheaths encircle culm and have overlapping margins; panicle erect, sometimes recurved, usually compact in most grain sorghums and more open in forage types; seed covered by glumes that may or may not be removed by threshing; prop roots may grow from culm nodes; bud at each node from which a tiller may grow; seeds white, yellow, red, or brown; panicle with up to 6,000 spikelets. Seeds 25,000 to 61,740/kg; grass sorghum 120,000 to 159,000/kg. Stunning, rich, shiny black seedheads top this 4'-8' tall heirloom broomcorn.

Stout, easy, vertical and drought tolerant, this Sorghum bicolor has been grown as an important grain source for over 7,000 years, and is well known for the making of brooms (Directions for handcrafting brooms are readily available on the internet). With it's strong, arching, rich green corn-like foliage and 8'-12' very upright stems per plant, it creates an outstanding architectural form in the garden and is really cool looking as a background to Sunflowers. Starting out as tight arching clusters, the seed heads mature into interesting and lovely sprays that make fabulous dried arrangement material. The seeds can be popped like popcorn, the stems can be chewed, and best of all the birdies love the seeds! Rich soil for best show.

Sorghum (Sorghum vulgare or Sorghum bicolor) is a grass (Family (The grasses: chiefly herbaceous but some woody plants including cereals; bamboo; reeds; sugar cane) Poaceae), the grain of which (Foodstuff prepared from the starchy grains of cereal grasses) grain is used for (Any solid substance (as opposed to liquid) that is used as a source of nourishment) food, (Coarse food (especially for cattle and horses) composed of entire plants or the leaves and stalks of a cereal crop) fodder, and the production of (A liquor or brew containing alcohol as the active agent) alcoholic beverages.

It is an important food crop in (The second largest continent; located south of Europe and bordered to the west by the South Atlantic and to the east by the Indian Ocean) Africa, (The isthmus joining North America and South America; extends from the southern border of Mexico to the northern border of Colombia) Central America, and (Click link for more info and facts about southern Asia) southern Asia, and is the fifth major (Grass whose starchy grains are used as food: wheat; rice; rye; oats; maize; buckwheat; millet) cereal crop grown in the world (470,000 km2 harvested in 1996). (A native or inhabitant of Africa) African (A person who is owned by someone) slaves introduced sorghum into the (North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776) U.S. in the early 17th century, where most of the world's sorghum is now produced.

Sorghum originated in eastern Africa and first diverged from the wild varieties in (Ethiopia is a republic in northeastern Africa on the Red Sea; formerly called Abyssinia) Ethiopia 5000 years ago. It is well adapted to growth in hot, arid or semi-arid areas. The many subspecies are divided into four groups - grain sorghums, grass sorghums (for pasture and hay), sweet sorghums (formerly called " (A republic in eastern Africa on the Atlantic; formerly a French colony; achieved independence from France in 1958) Guinea corn," used to produce sorghum syrups), and broom corn (for brooms and brushes). In China, sorghum is the most important ingredient for the production of distilled beverages such as Maotai. Sorghum, also known as jowar, (Sorghum vulgare or Sorghum bicolor) is a grass (family Poaceae) which is used for food, fodder, and the production of alcoholic beverages. It is drought tolerant and especially important in arid regions.

It is an important food crop in Africa, Central America, and South Asia, and is the fifth major cereal crop grown in the world (470,000 km2 harvested in 1996). African slaves introduced sorghum into the U.S. in the early 17th century, where most of the world's sorghum is now produced. Although wild varieties of Sorghum are attested as early as 8000 BP in the Nilotic regions of southern Egypt and the Sudan, the location of its true domestication within East Africa is still speculative. It is widely held that genetic separation of domesticated S. bicolor from its progenitor did not occur much before the B.C./A.D. changeover somewhere in East Africa, possibly the Ethiopian highlands, but more likely further west. The presence of true domesticated S. bicolor is claimed much earlier than this (2900-1700 B.C.) in India, Oman, and Yemen, although the identity of the remains as full domesticates is still disputed. It is well adapted to growth in hot, arid or semi-arid areas.

The many subspecies are divided into four groups - grain sorghums, grass sorghums (for pasture and hay), sweet sorghums (formerly called "Guinea corn", used to produce sorghum syrups), and broom corn (for brooms and brushes). Bhakri, a variety of unleavened bread made from sorghum, is the staple diet in many parts of India such as Maharashtra and northern Karnataka. In China, sorghum is the most important ingredient for the production of distilled beverages such as Maotai. Prev Next Reference: 1.Sorghum bicolor logogriph,broomcorn, durra, forage sorghum, grain sorghum, great millet, Kaffir-corn, milo, shallu sorghum, sweet sorghum,Milo,sorgo, gros mil, sorgho,daza, sorgo forrajero?

Article Information: ♥The article and literature was edited by herbalist of MDidea Extracts Professional .It runs a range of online descriptions about the titled herb and related phytochemicals,including comprehensive information related,summarized updating discoveries from findings of herbalists and clinical scientists from this field.The electronic data information published at our official website and ,we tried best to update it to latest and exact as possible. ♣ last edit date: CEREALS NES 1. CEREALS AND CEREAL PRODUCTS CEREALS are generally of the gramineous family and, in the FAO concept, refer tocrops harvested for dry grain only. Crops harvested green for forage, silage or grazingare classified as fodder crops. Also excluded are industrial crops, e.g. broom sorghum (Crude organic materials nes) and sweet sorghum when grown for syrup (Sugar crops nes). For international trade classifications, fresh cereals (other than sweet corn), whether or not suitable for use as fresh vegetables, are classified as cereals. Cereals are identified according to their genus. However, when two or more genera are sown and harvested as a mixture they should be classified and reported as "mixed grains".

Production data are reported in terms of clean, dry weight of grains (12-14 percent moisture) in the form usually marketed. Rice, however, is reported in terms of paddy. Apart from moisture content and inedible substances such as cellulose, cereal grains contain, along with traces of minerals and vitamins, carbohydrates - mainly starches - (comprising 65-75 percent of their total weight), as well as proteins (6-12 percent) and fat (1-5 percent). The FAO definitions cover 17 primary cereals, of which one - white maize - is a component of maize. Each definition is listed along with its code, botanical name or names, and a short description. Cereal products derive either from the processing of grain through one or more mechanical or chemical operations, or from the processing of flour, meal or starch. Each cereal product is listed after the cereal from which it is derived. Cereals and Products

Question: What genus of grass is also known as kaffir corn, dhurra, Guinea corn and Indian millet?
Answer: Sorghum