Introduction

The genus Sorghum includes three distinct types used as forage crops. They are Sudangrass, Sorghum X Sudangrass and Forage Sorghum. The three plant types have different physical appearance, growth habits and modes of principal forage utilization.

Sudangrass

• Very fine stems and narrow leaves
• Profuse tillering
• Rapid regrowth after cutting or grazing
• Primarily used for intense grazing or silage
• Less prussic acid risk than hybrid sorghum x sudangrass

Sorghum X Sudangrass

• Moderately coarse stems and wide leaves
• Moderate tillering
• Moderately slow regrowth after cutting
• Primarily used for pasture, silage or coarse hay

Forage Sorghum

• Coarse stems and wide leaves
• Limited tillering
• Very slow regrowth after cutting
• Primarily used as a one-cut  silage crop