Sudan grass: technology of cultivation, seeding rate, seeds and biological characteristics

Sudanese grass (or Sudanese sorghum, Sudan) is a high-yielding crop. It grows in ideal conditions up to three meters, forming from one root up to 120 stems. With proper agrotechnics, cultivation yields record yields among fodder annual grasses. In the form of silage, hay, freshly cut green mass, it is used for fattening cattle.

Sudan grass: biological features

Sorghum sudanense belongs to the genus sorghum. The lobed, powerful root system can grow in depth by 2.5 m and breadth by 75 cm. The unopened cylindrical stem is filled with a white spongy parenchyma. Not all grades are high. There are also compact plants with a height of less than a meter with a small (up to 12 shoots) and medium (12-25) bushy. Distinct varieties are also bush form:

• Standing.
• Lying.
• Half-lying.
• Sprawling.
• Slaboroskidistye.

It is more convenient to mow the sloboskidistye upright bushes, so the Sudanese sorghum with such characteristics is the most common. In the tropics, a very high Sudanese grass grows, the photo of which strikes the imagination. In Russia, more often cultivated more compact varieties: the grass Mironovskaya 8, 12, Kinelskaya 100, Aida, Hercules 3, Chernomorka, Volgograd 77, Azimut, Brodskaya 2, Novator 151, Severyanka, Novosibirskaya 84, Kamyshinskaya 51, Zonalskaya 6 and others.

Nutritional properties

Sudan grass in the form of hay and greenery is a good nutritious food. In the green mass of protein - 3%, protein - 4.4%, sugars - 7.9-9.1%. Sudanku is advantageously mixed with leguminous crops, in particular - alfalfa. Such mixtures are more saturated with calcium, proteins, extractive nitrogen-free substances. The abundance of dense green mass, resistance to bleeding and the ability to quickly grow (for a season - 4-5 times) make Sudanka one of the best pasture grasses.

The nutritional qualities of hay depend on the time of mowing. If it is harvested in the sweep phase, the product will retain a lot of crude protein - 14-16%. Even more protein (14.2-18.9%) will be preserved if the Sudan is mown in the tubing phase. Silage is recommended to be harvested when grain is poured. By the way, silage for nutrition is comparable with corn.

Technology of cultivation of Sudanese grass

For seeding, optimal precursors are vegetables, spiked crops (especially winter crops). Mandatory pre-treatment from weeds. Research SibNII showed: in the forest-steppe conditions a decent crop of seeds is obtained after a couple, a layer of perennials, corn.

It is important to properly treat the soil, given its type and zoning. It is more productive to carry out the main treatment in autumn. This will help to imbue the earth with the moisture of prolonged autumn rains and snow. In Western Siberia (the forest-steppe zone) in autumn a deep field is plowed up (by 25 cm), and in the spring, in order to retain moisture, two trails pass by tooth harrows. Alignment, packing of fields by planners before and after sowing ensures friendly shoots.

With the exception of swampy areas, the Sudanese grass is not demanding on soils. Biological features provide a good harvest even on brackish lands. The best predecessors are peas, sash, vetch, alfalfa, cabbage, potatoes. It is also useful to grow leguminous plants together with Sudanese sorghum.

The faster the first and second cuts are made, the greater the green mass will increase in the next 2-3 cuts. Harvesting hay is recommended mower-conditioner. Stitched stems are faster and more qualitatively wilted, natural drying is accelerated.

Seed preparation

Seeds of Sudan grass are responsive to pre-sowing preparation. Etching alternates with air-thermal heating, treatment with microfertilizers. The seeds receive a biological impulse, co-grow, are saturated with microelements with a minimal fertilizer consumption.

One way to activate biochemical and physiological processes is spraying before planting with special solutions containing boron (can be replaced with zinc) and manganese. In 2 liters of water, 15-18 g of ordinary manganese and 6-9 g of boron or zinc salts are dissolved. This volume is enough to process 1 centner of seeds. For an even distribution, the seeds are thoroughly mixed several times. Before sowing, they must be dried.

A more modern method of presowing preparation is vernalization. In a container pour 20 liters of water, fall asleep a centner of seeds. Wait until the seeds completely absorb the water. They are then removed and formed into small beads, soaking for 8 days in the dark at 20-30 ° C. To prevent rotting, the mass regularly tedled, shoveled. It is necessary to monitor the rate of germination. If the seeds are pecked too quickly, the beads are raked. Vernalization is especially effective for seed crops.

Sowing rates

Only in the warm soil (+10 ˚C) Sudan grass is sown. The seeding rate varies depending on the method of sowing. With a continuous ordinary method - within 25-30 kg per 1 ha. With a wide-row method in arid regions, the norm is twice less - 10-15 kg. With sufficient moisture seeding of seeds is mechanized to a depth of 3-5 cm. On dry and light soils, the seeds are embedded deeper - 6-8 cm. If the Sudan grass is sown in a mixture with other crops, the seeding rate is reduced by 15-25%.

Pre-sowing soil preparation

Pre-sowing training is time-consuming. If you skip one of the stages, the sprouts will be friendly, bushy, yield. The order of operations is as follows:

1. Bulb.
2. Deep autumn plowing.
3. Early spring harrowing.
4. Two-fold pre-sowing cultivation.
5. Pre-sowing of soil.
6. Post-sowing of soil.

In time, the applied fertilizers increase the yield. Recommended rates per 1 ha: 20-30 kg of potassium, 30-45 kg of phosphorus, 30-45 kg of nitrogen fertilizers.

Beneficial features

In addition to the abundant harvest of fodder green mass, Sudanese grass beneficially acts on the soil, suppressing weeds. Due to the friable, powerful roots, the culture increases the moisture capacity and air permeability of soils, loosens them, makes it easier, structures, drains with excess moisture. The soil loosened by grass effectively passes air, useful soil microorganisms and worms reproduce better, accelerating the processing of humus. The plants themselves are less sick, the yield increases.

The ability of Sudan to grow on saline soils makes it possible to incorporate solonchak soils that are not suitable for other crops. In places where erosion progresses, it is also useful to sow this grass with thick thick roots that keep the soil particles from weathering and washing away.

But there are nuances. Like corn, Sudanese draws many trace elements out of the soil, impoverishing it. The problem is solved by joint plantings with bean annuals. Qualitative fertilizing with fertilizers also restores the microbiological balance.