Sorghum
<p ><i><b>Sorghum</b></i> is a genus of numerous species of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poaceae" title="Poaceae" >grasses</a>, one of which is raised for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grain" title="Grain" class="mw-redirect" >grain</a> and many of which are used as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fodder" title="Fodder" >fodder</a> 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 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australasia" title="Australasia" >Australasia</a>. Sorghum is in the subfamily <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panicoideae" title="Panicoideae" >Panicoideae</a>and the tribe <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andropogoneae" title="Andropogoneae" >Andropogoneae</a> (the tribe of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_bluestem" title="Big bluestem" class="mw-redirect" >big bluestem</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_cane" title="Sugar cane" class="mw-redirect" >sugar cane</a>).
Other names include sorghum, <i>durra</i>, Egyptian millet, <i>feterita</i>, Guinea corn (Africa), <i>jwari, jowar</i> (India), <i>juwar</i>, <i>milo</i> (Spain), <i>kaolian</i>(China), <i>shallu</i>, Sudan grass, <i>jondle</i>, <i>solam</i> and <i>jawari</i>(Maharashtra, India), <i>cholam</i> (Tamil Nadu, India), <i>jola</i> (Karnataka, India), <i>jonnalu</i> (Andhra Pradesh, India), <i>gaoliang</i>, great millet, <i>dura, dari</i>, and <i>mtama</i>. For more specific details on commercially exploited sorghum, see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_sorghum" title="Commercial sorghum" >commercial sorghum</a>, also known as milo.
Sorghum has been, for centuries, one of the most important <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staple_food" title="Staple food" >staple foods</a> 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 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassava" title="Cassava" >cassava</a>, 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.<sup id="cite_ref-fao1_0-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorghum#cite_note-fao1-0" >[1]</a></sup>
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.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorghum#cite_note-1" >[2]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorghum#cite_note-2" >[3]</a></sup> Leading exporters in 2010 were the United States, Australia and Argentina; Mexico was the largest importer of sorghum.</p>
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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.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorghum#cite_note-3" >[4]</a></sup>
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<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference" >Sorghum as biofuel</sup></p>
<h3 >Sweet sorghum in India</h3>
<p ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_sorghum" title="Sweet sorghum" >Sweet sorghum</a> overcomes many of the shortcomings of other biofuel crops. With sweet sorghum, only the stalks are used for biofuel production, while the grain is saved for food or livestock feed. It is not in high demand in the global food market, and thus has little impact on food prices and food security. Sweet sorghum is grown on already-farmed drylands that are low in carbon storage capacity, so concerns about the clearing of rainforest do not apply. Sweet sorghum is easier and cheaper to grow than other biofuel crops in India and does not require irrigation, an important consideration in dry areas.<sup id="cite_ref-52" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_biofuel#cite_note-52" >[53]</a></sup> Some of the Indian sweet sorghum varieties are now grown in Uganda for ethanol production.<sup id="cite_ref-53" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_biofuel#cite_note-53" >[54]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference" ></sup>
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