Sorghum Energy (Growing)

What is sorghum?

Sorghum is a crop grown extensively in the United States and Africa, increasingly in Europe but not at all in Great Britain. Sorghum is much like corn except that its grains are stored in a panicle, rather than an ear. The crop has many specialist features that gives it an advantage over similar crops, and provides it with a multitude of high value products.

The advantages and properties of sorghum

The stalks can be used as a source of clean, renewable energy	Packaging can be produced from the product that is both biodegradable and anti-static	Sorghum has high stalk yield, it is usually around five feet tall
The flour produced from the grain is gluten-free, which is needed to make products for Celiac sufferers	The high protein content of the flour (18%) is useful for animal feed and high protein foods	Red sorghum also contains tannin, which can be extracted and used in cosmetics and dyes
Sorghum does not need as much water as traditional crops and survives droughts well	The Sorghum crop grows well with very little fertiliser or pesticide