Here are some tips on how to enhance sorghum production:
1. Hybrid Selection
Determine which sorghum seed hybrids are suitable for your region. When you plant the variety that has been shown to perform well in your area, you increase the chances of getting a good harvest. Look for hybrids with the maximum production potential yields in your area. You should choose sorghum hybrids that can withstand sugarcane aphids.
2. Seed Treatments
You should buy seed that has been properly treated with a combination of fungicides and insecticides. Seed treatments are a cost-effective risk management technique for protecting crops from diseases and pests early in the season.
As with most other things in life, prevention is better than cure. It is advisable that you get treated seeds instead of having to deal with pests and diseases as soon as you plant.
3. Fertility Levels and Soil Testing
You should use soil sampling to determine fertility and maintain optimal soil nutrient levels. It is advisable that you restore more nutrients to the soil than were taken away during the previous crop’s harvest. This is best done by the application of fertilizers. Pre-plant fertilizers encourage faster plant growth. You should use the recommended quantities for sulfur, phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen.
4. Nitrogen Management
You should apply nitrogen in accordance with your field’s yield history as well as your current season’s goals. Again, sampling will be required to determine your soil’s current requirements.
5. Seeding Time
Depending on your location, you should plant seeds between late February and early June. Yields will be lowered if you plant after June. Before sowing sorghum seed, let soil temperature reach 60 degrees. Planting at the recommended temperatures promotes optimal growth of the seeds.
6. Control Weeds
Controlling weeds, insects, and illnesses call for early detection. The best way to mitigate against them is to plant sorghum hybrids with partial disease and pest resistance. Controlling weeds before they emerge is advisable.
7. Harvesting Techniques
Sorghum should be harvested when the seed moisture content is between 20 and 25. Frost dries out the grain, allowing the seed to shatter during harvest.
