Grain Sorghum (Milo)

Juan N. Guerrero

Livestock Advisor

As part of a bio-fuels research project at UCDREC, a grain sorghum (milo) trial was planted on 3/21/07. Nine varieties were compared under two irrigation regimes and at two N rates. WaterMark® soil moisture meters were placed in the soil to determine soil water. One irrigation treatment consisted of a full irrigation; when the soil moisture meter read “60 centibars” plots were irrigated, and the other irrigation treatment consisted of ¾ less water, when the soil moisture meter read “75 centibars”. One fertility treatment consisted of 150 lb N/ac and the other treatment consisted of 120 lb N/ac.

Two rows of seed were planted on 40” beds and fertilizer was side-dressed in two applications. Plots were harvested in October 2007 and again in late December. Nine grain sorghum varieties were compared:

Pioneer® 84G62

Pioneer® 85G85

Pioneer® 83G15

Pioneer® 82G10

Pioneer® 85G40

MMR® Genetics 310x45

MMR® Genetics 304x5

MMR® Genetics 310x8

MMR® Genetics 310x76

Only the variety data will now be presented (Table 1). Grain sorghum grows well in the irrigated desert and indeed has a long history of cultivation. There was some bird damage in our research, about 10% decreased yields. The US ethanol industry has greatly increased the demand for cereal grains for ethanol production. Grain sorghum produces an equal amount of ethanol as does corn. Summer desert heat does not inhibit local grain sorghum production. Grain sorghum for ethanol production after the wheat harvest might be a viable economic option for local growers.

Table 1. UCDREC grain sorghum yields, least square means, 2007.

10 October yields 10 October + 21 December yields

lb/ac lb/ac

ªMeans in columns with different superscripts are different, LSD (P<0.10).