Agronomic Terminology Brachytic Dwarf Sorghums
have very short internodes and very high leaf to stalk ratios, prolific tillering, superior standability, and comparable tonnage to normal height sorghums.
Best Choice – Grazing, hay, and silage production. Availability - Forage sorghums and Sorghum-sudangrass.
AGRONOMIC TERMINOLOGY
Brown Midrib Trait
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the brown midrib (BMR) trait is associated with reduced lignin content. Plant mutations in sorghum were reported by Purdue researchers in 1978. Originally, 19 different BMR mutant lines were produced. Of the 19 lines, only three were considered to have acceptable agronomic characteristics, and they were defined as the BMR 6 gene, BMR 12 gene and BMR 18 gene. The enzymatic mechanisms responsible for reduced lignin synthesis are different between the BMR 6 and BMR 12 or BMR 18 gene (BMR 12 and 18 gene support the same mechanism). The BMR 6 gene has been proven in field and nutritional studies to be the superior gene from an agronomic and forage quality standpoint.
Brown Midrib 6 Trait
sorghums with the BMR 6 trait have less lignin than conventional sorghums, are extremely palatable and have high digestibility.
Forage Sorghum
produce very high biomass yields, but have limited regrowth potential making them excellent choices for single-cut silage and standing green-chop production uses. The soft dough stage is considered the optimum time for harvesting.
Best Choice – Silage production.