Potential of Sorghum as an Alternative to Corn Forage

Published Date

DOI: 10.4236/ajps.2016.77106, PP. 1106-1121

Author 

Girma Getachew, Daniel H. Putnam, Christopher M. De Ben, Edward J. De Peters

Keywords: Sorghum, Climate Change, Drought Tolerance, Salinity

Abstract:

Climate change, which is currently characterized by increased atmospheric CO_2, rising temperature, and altered pattern of precipitation, is affecting agricultural productivity. Rising temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns will alter the ability to meet crop water requirements, water availability, crop productivity, and costs of water access across the agricultural landscape. Searching for alternative crops with lower water requirements increased yield or organic matter per unit of water are important for agricultural sustainability. Sorghum is one of the world’s important crops; a crop that is adapted to a variety of agronomic and environmental conditions, particularly to areas with low rainfall or limited access of irrigation water. Forage Sorghum is able to produce comparable yield to corn suggesting that there is a potential for Sorghum to replace corn in areas where water supply is limited. But, there is a cost since corn silage, because of its high grain content, which is typically superior in digestible energy content to Sorghum forages. There is also a lack of information on the feeding value of Sorghum silages in high producing dairy cows as well as strategies that may be used for sorghum silage to replace a portion of the corn silage in dairy cattle diets.

References

[1]	Marsalis, M.A. (2011) Advantages of Silage Crops for Quality: What Is Most Important? 2011 Western Alfalfa & Forage Symposium, Las Vegas, 11-13 December 2011, 69-74.
[2]	Srivastava, A., Naresh Kumar, S. and Aggarwal, P.K. (2010) Assessment on Vulnerability of Sorghum to Climate Change in India. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 138, 160-169. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2010.04.012
[3]	USDA NASS (2015) Crop Production 2014 Summary. National Agricultural Statistics Services.
[4]	Butchee, K., Arnall, D.B., Sutradhar, A., Godsey, C., Zhang, H. and Penn, C. (2012) Determining Critical Soil pH for Grain Sorghum Production. International Journal of Agronomy, 6, 1-6.
[5]	Jorgensen, L.R. (1931) Brown Midrib in Maize and Its Linkage Relations. Journal of American Society of Agronomy, 23, 549-557. http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/agronj1931.00021962002300070005x
[6]	Oliver, A.L., Pedersen, J.F., Grant, R.J. and Klopfenstein, T.J. (2005) Comparative Effects of the Sorghum bmr-6 and bmr-12 Genes: I Forage Sorghum Yield and Quality. Crop Science, 45, 2234-2239.
[7]	Casler, M.D., Pedersen, J.F. and Undersander, D.J. (2003) Forage Yield and Economic Losses Associated with the Brown-Midrib Trait in Sudangrass. Crop Science, 43, 782-789. http://dx.doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2003.7820
[8]	Miron, J., Zuckerman, E., Adin, G., Solomon, R., Shoshani, E., Nikbachat, M., Yosef, E., Zenou, A., Weinberg, Z.G., Chen, Y., et al. (2007) Comparison of Two Forage Sorghum Varieties with Corn and the Effect of Feeding Their Silages on Eating Behavior and Lactation Performance of Dairy Cows. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 139, 23-39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2007.01.011
[9]	Miron, J., Solomon, R., Adin, G., Nir, U., Nikbachat, M., Yosef, E., Carmi, A., Weinberg, Z.G., Kipnis, T., Zuckerman, E., et al. (2006) Effects of Harvest Stage and Re-Growth on Yield, Composition, Ensilage and in Vitro Digestibility of New Forage Sorghum Varieties. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 86, 140-147. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.2269
[10]	Bean, B.W., Baumhardt, R.L., McCollum Iii, F.T. and McCuistion, K.C. (2013) Comparison of Sorghum Classes for Grain and Forage Yield and Forage Nutritive Value. Field Crops Research, 142, 20-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2012.11.014
[11]	Porter, K., Axtell, J., Lechtenberg, V. and Colenbrander, V. (1978) Phenotype, Fiber Composition, and in Vitro Dry Matter Disappearance of Chemically Induced Brown Midrib (bmr) Mutants of Sorghum. Crop Science, 18, 205-209. http://dx.doi.org/10.2135/cropsci1978.0011183X001800020002x
[12]	Sattler, S.E., Funnell-Harris, D.L. and Pedersen, J.F. (2010) Brown Midrib Mutations and Their Importance to the Utilization of Maize, Sorghum, and Pearl Millet Lignocellulosic Tissues. Plant Science, 178, 229-238. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2010.01.001
[13]	Grant, R.J., Haddad, S.G., Moore, K.J. and Pedersen, J.F. (1995) Brown Midrib Sorghum Silage for Midlactation Dairy Cows1. Journal of Dairy Science, 78, 1970-1980. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(95)76823-0
[14]	Oliver, A.L., Grant, R.J., Pedersen, J.F. and O’Rear, J. (2004) Comparison of Brown Midrib-6 and -18 Forage Sorghum with Conventional Sorghum and Corn Silage in Diets of Lactating Dairy Cows*. Journal of Dairy Science, 87, 637-644. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(04)73206-3
[15]	Prato, J.D., Marble, V.L., Smeltzer, D.G. and Worker, G.F. (1963) Sorghum Forages for Silage in California. Calfonia Agriculture, 17, 10-11.
[16]	Newman, Y., Erickson, J., Vermerris, W. and Wright, D. (2013) Forage Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor): Overview and Management. University of Florida, Gainesville.
[17]	Clark, A. (2007) Managing Cover Crops Profitably. 3rd Edition, Sustainable Agriculture Network, Beltsville.
[18]	DePeters, E.J., Medrano, J.F. and Bath, D.L. (1989) A Nutritional Evaluation of Mixed Winter Cereals with Vetch Utilized as Silage or Hay. Journal of Dairy Science, 72, 3247-3254. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(89)79484-4
[19]	Miron, J., Zuckerman, E., Sadeh, D., Adin, G., Nikbachat, M., Yosef, E., Ben-Ghedalia, D., Carmi, A., Kipnis, T. and Solomon, R. (2005) Yield, Composition and in Vitro Digestibility of New Forage Sorghum Varieties and Their Ensilage Characteristics. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 120, 17-32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2005.01.008
[20]	Schmid, A.R., Goodrich, R.D., Jordan, R.M., Marten, G.C. and Meiske, J.C. (1976) Relationships among Agronomic Characteristics of Corn and Sorghum Cultivars and Silage Quality. Agronomy Journal, 68, 403-406. http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/agronj1976.00021962006800020051x
[21]	Wosnitza, A. and Hartmann, S. (2012) Determination of Region-Specific Data of Yield and Quality of Alternatives to Silage Maize in Fodder Crops: Field Trails with Forage Gras and Clover Grass Mixtures, Sorghum as well as Whole Plant Silage of Grain. Proceedings International Conference on the German Diabrotica Research Program, Berlin, 14-16 November 2012, 147-182.
[22]	Vasilakoglou, I., Dhima, K., Karagiannidis, N. and Gatsis, T. (2011) Sweet Sorghum Productivity for Biofuels under Increased Soil Salinity and Reduced Irrigation. Field Crops Research, 120, 38-46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2010.08.011
[23]	Bean, B. and Marsalis, M. (2012) Corn and Sorghum Silage Production Considerations. High Plains Dairy Conference, Amarillo, 7-8 March 2012, 1-7.
[24]	Carmi, A., Aharoni, Y., Edelstein, M., Umiel, N., Hagiladi, A., Yosef, E., Nikbachat, M., Zenou, A. and Miron, J. (2006) Effects of Irrigation and Plant Density on Yield, Composition and in Vitro Digestibility of a New Forage Sorghum Variety, Tal, at Two Maturity Stages. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 131, 121-133. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2006.02.005
[25]	Mastrorilli, M., Katerji, N. and Rana, G. (1999) Productivity and Water Use Efficiency of Sweet Sorghum as Affected by Soil Water Deficit Occurring at Different Vegetative Growth Stages. European Journal of Agronomy, 11, 207-215. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1161-0301(99)00032-5
[26]	Steduto, P., Katerji, N., Puertos-Molina, H., U¨nlu¨, M., Mastrorilli, M. and Rana, G. (1997) Water-Use Efficiency of Sweet Sorghum under Water Stress Conditions Gas-Exchange Investigations at Leaf and Canopy Scales. Field Crops Research, 54, 221-234. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0378-4290(97)00050-6
[27]	Pan, G., OuYang, Z., Luo, Q., Yu, Q. and Wang, J. (2011) Water Use Patterns of Forage Cultivars in the North China Plain. International Journal of Plant Production, 5, 181-194.
[28]	Saeed, I.A.M. and El-Nadi, A.H. (1998) Forage Sorghum Yield and Water Use Efficiency under Variable Irrigation. Irrigation Science, 18, 67-71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s002710050046
[29]	Peacock, J.M. (1982) Response and Tolerance of Sorghum to Temperature Stress. Sorghum in the Eighties: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Sorghum, Patancheru, 2-7 November 1981, 143-159.
[30]	Wilson, G.L. and Eastin, J.D. (1982) The Plant and Its Environment. Sorghum in the Eighties: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Sorghum, Patancheru, 2-7 November 1981, 101-119.
[31]	Colombini, S., Galassi, G., Crovetto, G.M. and Rapetti, L. (2012) Milk Production, Nitrogen Balance, and Fiber Digestibility Prediction of Corn, Whole Plant Grain Sorghum, and Forage Sorghum Silages in the Dairy Cow. Journal of Dairy Science, 95, 4457-4467. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2011-4444
[32]	Abdelhadi, L.O. and Santini, F.J. (2006) Corn Silage versus Grain Sorghum Silage as a Supplement to Growing Steers Grazing High Quality Pastures: Effects on Performance and Ruminal Fermentation. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 127, 33-43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2005.08.010
[33]	Lance, R.D., Foss, D.C., Krueger, C.R., Baumgardt, B.R. and Niedermeier, R.P. (1964) Evaluation of Corn and Sorghum Silages on the Basis of Milk Production and Digestibility. Journal of Dairy Science, 47, 254-257. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(64)88635-5
[34]	Castillo, A.L., Silva-del-Rio, N., St-Pierre, N. and Weiss, W.P. (2010) Composition of Diets Fed to Different Groups of Lactating Cows on California Dairies. ADSA 2010, Abstract #: T306.
[35]	Fisk, J. (1980) Effects of HCN, Phenolic Acids and Related Compounds in Sorghum bicolor on the Feeding Behaviour of the Planthopper Peregrinus maidis. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 27, 211-222. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1570-7458.1980.tb02968.x
[36]	Wheeler, J., Mulcahy, C., Walcott, J. and Rapp, G. (1990) Factors Affecting the Hydrogen Cyanide Potential of Forage Sorghum. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 41, 1093-1100. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/AR9901093
[37]	Dann, H.M., Grant, R.J., Cotanch, K.W., Thomas, E.D., Ballard, C.S. and Rice, R. (2008) Comparison of Brown Midrib Sorghum-Sudangrass with Corn Silage on Lactational Performance and Nutrient Digestibility in Holstein Dairy Cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 91, 663-672. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2007-0521
[38]	Ward, G.M., Boren, F.W., Smith, E.F. and Brethour, J.R. (1966) Relation between Dry Matter Content and Dry Matter Consumption of Sorghum Silage. Journal of Dairy Science, 49, 399-402. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(66)87882-7
[39]	Ledgerwood, D.N., DePeters, E.J., Robinson, P.H., Taylor, S.J. and Heguy, J.M. (2009) Assessment of a Brown Midrib (BMR) Mutant Gene on the Nutritive Value of Sudangrass Using in Vitro and in Vivo Techniques. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 150, 207-222. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2008.10.001
[40]	Aydin, G., Grant, R.J. and O’Rear, J. (1999) Brown Midrib Sorghum in Diets for Lactating Dairy Cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 82, 2127-2135. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(99)75456-1
[41]	Amer, S., Seguin, P. and Mustafa, A.F. (2012) Short Communication: Effects of Feeding Sweet Sorghum Silage on Milk Production of Lactating Dairy Cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 95, 859-863. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2011-4884
[42]	Colombini, S., Rapetti, L., Colombo, D., Galassi, G. and Crovetto, G.M. (2010) Brown Midrib Forage Sorghum Silage for the Dairy Cow: Nutritive Value and Comparison with Corn Silage in the Diet. Italian Journal of Animal Science, 9, 273-277.
[43]	Etuk, E.B., Okeudo, N.J., Esonu, B.O. and Udedibie, A.B.I. (2012) Antinutritional Factors in Sorghum: Chemistry, Mode of Action and Effects on Livestock and Poultry. Journal of Animal and Feed Research, 2, 113-119.
[44]	Reed, J.D., Tedla, A. and Kebede, Y. (1987) Phenolics, Fibre and Fibre Digestibility in the Crop Residue from Bird Resistant and Non-Bird Resistant Sorghum Varieties. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 39, 113-121. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.2740390204
[45]	Conn, E.E. (1980) Cyanogenic Compounds. Annual Review of Plant Physiology, 31, 433-451. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.pp.31.060180.002245
[46]	Kojima, M., Poulton, J.E., Thayer, S.S. and Conn, E.E. (1979) Tissue Distributions of Dhurrin and of Enzymes Involved in Its Metabolism in Leaves of Sorghum bicolor. Plant Physiology, 63, 1022-1028. http://dx.doi.org/10.1104/pp.63.6.1022
[47]	Majak, W., McDiarmid, R.E., Hall, J.W. and Cheng, K.J. (1990) Factors that Determine Rates of Cyanogenesis in Bovine Ruminal Fluid in Vitro. Journal of Animal Science, 68, 1648-1655.

For further details log on website :
http://www.oalib.com/paper/5268252