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Sorghum Edited.Cdr Agricultural Productivity Program for Southern Africa (APPSA) Agricultural Productivity Program for Southern Sorghum Production Guide Africa (APPSA) Agricultural Productivity Program for Southern Africa (APPSA) Agricultural Productivity Program for Southern Africa (APPSA) Table of Contents Foreword ii Acknowledgements iii 1. Introduction 1 2. Climatic and Soil Requirements 1 3. Recommended Varieties 1 4. Recommendation Management Practices 3 5. Crop Protection 4 6. Harvesting 8 7.. Post-Harvest Handling and Processing 8 i Table of Contents Foreword ii Acknowledgements iii 1. Introduction 1 2. Climatic and Soil Requirements 1 3. Recommended Varieties 1 4. Recommendation Management Practices 3 5. Crop Protection 4 6. Harvesting 8 7.. Post-Harvest Handling and Processing 8 i Foreword Acknowledgements Zambia has the potential to produce sufficient food The Editorial Committee wishes to express its gratitude to the for its citizens and for export. Sorghum Research Team of Zambia Agriculture Research Institute for providing the technical information and invaluable advice. In order to ensure that good agricultural practices are employed by farmers, crop specific production The Zambia Agriculture Research Institute wishes to recognize the information should be made available to them. support provided by World Bank through the Agricultural Productivity Programme for Southern Africa- Zambia Project (APPSA-Zambia) Due to technological advances and the changing environmental and for financing the publication of this production guide. socio-economic conditions it became necessary to revise the first edition of the Sorghum Production Guide, which was published in 2002. This revised edition is meant to provide farmers and other stakeholders crop specific information in order to promote good agricultural practices and enhance productivity and production.. The information contained in this booklet has been generated over a number of years of research and is appropriate for all categories of farmers. The information is meant for extension officers, agricultural training institutions and other development partners. It is my sincere hope that this information will go a long way in stimulating Sorghum production in Zambia. The Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI) is committed to alleviating poverty and enhancing food security by contributing to increased and sustainable food production. M. Mwale Director, Zambia Agriculture Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture,. 2018 iii ii Foreword Acknowledgements Zambia has the potential to produce sufficient food The Editorial Committee wishes to express its gratitude to the for its citizens and for export. Sorghum Research Team of Zambia Agriculture Research Institute for providing the technical information and invaluable advice. In order to ensure that good agricultural practices are employed by farmers, crop specific production The Zambia Agriculture Research Institute wishes to recognize the information should be made available to them. support provided by World Bank through the Agricultural Productivity Programme for Southern Africa- Zambia Project (APPSA-Zambia) Due to technological advances and the changing environmental and for financing the publication of this production guide. socio-economic conditions it became necessary to revise the first edition of the Sorghum Production Guide, which was published in 2002. This revised edition is meant to provide farmers and other stakeholders crop specific information in order to promote good agricultural practices and enhance productivity and production.. The information contained in this booklet has been generated over a number of years of research and is appropriate for all categories of farmers. The information is meant for extension officers, agricultural training institutions and other development partners. It is my sincere hope that this information will go a long way in stimulating Sorghum production in Zambia. The Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI) is committed to alleviating poverty and enhancing food security by contributing to increased and sustainable food production. M. Mwale Director, Zambia Agriculture Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture,. 2018 iii ii 1.0 Introduction Local traditional varieties of sorghum require a long growing season, Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is one of the most important traditional have low yield potential, and are tall and less responsive to improved cereal crops of the hotter and drier regions of the tropics and management, while improved sorghum varieties, are responsive to subtropics. In areas with insufficient and erratic rainfall, sorghum is a high input applications, and are high yielding. preferred crop. With a policy of crop diversification in place, sorghum can play an important role in achieving food security at household Varieties that are available and their major characteristics are given level. in the table below. Although sorghum is grown throughout the country its cultivation is concentrated in the drier and hotter valley areas of Southern, Variety Maturity Major Char acteriscs Recommended Average Po- Central, Muchinga and Eastern provinces, parts of Northwestern areas for culva- tenal Yield on (t/ha) and Copperbelt provinces. It is more suitable to be grown in moisture stress areas as it is more drought tolerant and resilient than maize. Kuyuma Early Short, white grain, Regions I and II 3-5 excellent milling qual- ity and resistant to Sorghum is traditionally used as a main staple food crop in areas most diseases Sima Medium Medium tall, white All agroecological 4 –6 where it is grown as the main cereal crop. Other uses include to late grain and moderate regions brewing. resistant to diseases MMSH-375 Early Brown grain, good All agroecological 6 –8 2.0 Climatic and Soil Requirements resistance to most regions diseases except downy mildew 2.1 Climate MMSH-413 Medium Brown grain, high All agroecological 6 –8 This crop does well in semi-arid tropics as it tolerates harsh weather tannin con tent, excel- regions lent malng proper- conditions, which include low moisture, high temperature and heat, es and resistant to better than maize and other crops. It grows well at temperatures most diseases 0 ZSV 12 Medium Pigmented white Agroecologic al re- 3.5 above 100 C although some sorghum varieties are sensitive to day- to late grain, good resistance gions III length especially the local types. to soil acidity and anthracnose disease MMSH-1324 Early Medium height, Agroecological re- 4-6 2.2 Soil Types white grain and re- gions I and II Sorghum grows well on both sandy and clay soils with pH not less sistant to most dis- eases except anthrac- than 4.5. nose MMSH-1257 Medium Medium tall, white All Agroecological 6 –8 grain, r esistant to regions 3.0 Recommended varieties most diseases Both open pollinated varieties and hybrids are now available in ZSV15 Early White grain and re- Agroecological re- 3-5 Zambia. Hybrids give higher and more stable yields across seasons, sistant to most dis- gion I locations and management levels, as they are capable of eases withstanding adverse growing conditions better than open pollinated WP-13 Late Pigmented white and Agroecological re- 3 large grain, good re- gion III varieties. sistance to anthrac- nose and soil acidity 1 2 1.0 Introduction Local traditional varieties of sorghum require a long growing season, Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is one of the most important traditional have low yield potential, and are tall and less responsive to improved cereal crops of the hotter and drier regions of the tropics and management, while improved sorghum varieties, are responsive to subtropics. In areas with insufficient and erratic rainfall, sorghum is a high input applications, and are high yielding. preferred crop. With a policy of crop diversification in place, sorghum can play an important role in achieving food security at household Varieties that are available and their major characteristics are given level. in the table below. Although sorghum is grown throughout the country its cultivation is concentrated in the drier and hotter valley areas of Southern, Variety Maturity Major Char acteriscs Recommended Average Po- Central, Muchinga and Eastern provinces, parts of Northwestern areas for culva- tenal Yield on (t/ha) and Copperbelt provinces. It is more suitable to be grown in moisture stress areas as it is more drought tolerant and resilient than maize. Kuyuma Early Short, white grain, Regions I and II 3-5 excellent milling qual- ity and resistant to Sorghum is traditionally used as a main staple food crop in areas most diseases Sima Medium Medium tall, white All agroecological 4 –6 where it is grown as the main cereal crop. Other uses include to late grain and moderate regions brewing. resistant to diseases MMSH-375 Early Brown grain, good All agroecological 6 –8 2.0 Climatic and Soil Requirements resistance to most regions diseases except downy mildew 2.1 Climate MMSH-413 Medium Brown grain, high All agroecological 6 –8 This crop does well in semi-arid tropics as it tolerates harsh weather tannin con tent, excel- regions lent malng proper- conditions, which include low moisture, high temperature and heat, es and resistant to better than maize and other crops. It grows well at temperatures most diseases 0 ZSV 12 Medium Pigmented white Agroecologic al re- 3.5 above 100 C although some sorghum varieties are sensitive to day- to late grain, good resistance gions III length especially the local types. to soil acidity and anthracnose disease MMSH-1324 Early Medium height, Agroecological
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