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    Corn and Grain Sorghum Comparison: All Things Considered
    Corn and Grain Sorghum Comparison: All Things Considered
    Corn and Grain Sorghum Comparison: All Things Considered
    Ebook204 pages1 hour

    Corn and Grain Sorghum Comparison: All Things Considered

    By Yared Assefa, Kraig L. Roozeboom, Curtis Thompson and

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    About this ebook

    Corn and grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor subsp. bicolor L) are among the top cereal crops world wide, and both are key for global food security. Similarities between the two crops, particularly their adaptation for warm-season grain production, pose an opportunity for comparisons to inform appropriate cropping decisions. This book provides a comprehensive review of the similarities and differences between corn and grain sorghum. It compares corn and sorghum crops in areas such as morphology, physiology, phenology, yield, resource use and efficiency, and impact of both crops in different cropping systems.

    Producers, researchers and extension agents in search of reliable scientific information will find this in-depth comparison of crops with potential fit in dryland and irrigations cropping systems particularly valuable.

    • Presents a wide range of points of comparison
    • Offers important insights for crop decision making
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAcademic Press
    Release dateDec 16, 2013
    ISBN9780128003954
    Corn and Grain Sorghum Comparison: All Things Considered

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      Book preview

      Corn and Grain Sorghum Comparison - Yared Assefa

      1

      Introduction

      Corn and grain sorghum are among the top cereal crops worldwide, and both are key for global food security. Both grain sorghum and corn belong to the grass family Poaceae (Gramineae). Members of this family of plants are considered to be the most important of all plant families due to their economical and ecological significance (Campbell, 2012; Zhang, 2000). Within the family of Poaceae, corn is classified in the genus Zea, along with grasses native to Mexico and Central America (CFIA, 1994), and sorghum is classified in the genus Sorghum and is native to Ethiopia in the Horn of Africa (Dillon et al., 2007a; Wet and Harlan, 1971).

      Corn grows almost everywhere in the world, with most extensive production in regions approximately between 50°N and 45°S, whereas sorghum production is restricted to arid and semiarid regions of the world (Leff et al., 2004; Dillon et al., 2007b). The principal arid regions of the world and crops adapted to these regions, including corn and sorghum, are described in the paper by Creswell and Martin (1998). Creswell and Martin defined arid regions as those with long dry seasons or where potential evapotranspiration of water exceeds rainfall. The three categories of arid regions are: (i) regions with dry climate but with seasonal rain, (ii) regions with all-around aridity modified by light or irregular rain, and (iii) regions with all-around aridity where water is brought only with wells, canals, or other means. Much of the western United States constitutes one of the larger arid regions of the world.

      The similarities between corn and grain sorghum, particularly the fact that they are warm-season cereals with a C4 pathway adapted for summer season cropping in the United States, have made them a topic for comparison by many authors (Gordon and Staggenborg, 2003; Norwood, 1999; Martin, 1930; Mason et al., 2008; Staggenborg et al., 2008; Stone et al., 1996). In places where rainfall is dependable or irrigation systems are available, corn is the dominant summer crop due to yield superiority. In places where rainfall amount and timing is not dependable—in parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Texas, and Nebraska, for example—sorghum has been historically recommended. Due to reasons such as changes in the price relationship of the two crops, release of new hybrids, availability of pesticides, and the like, however, the area allocated to sorghum in the drylands of the United States has been declining since the early 1970s.

      The main objective of this book is to provide a comprehensive review of the comparison of corn and grain sorghum. Specific objectives were: (i) to investigate and document key morphological, physiological, and developmental characteristics of corn and grain sorghum in comparison to one another, (ii) to investigate, compare, and document historical trends for grain sorghum and corn yield, harvested area, and price, (iii) to create better understanding of corn and grain sorghum yield distribution and major factors responsible for yield variability, (iv) to compare land, water, nutrient, and pesticide use and use efficiencies of the two crops, and (v) to evaluate the effects of corn and sorghum in crop rotations common to the Great Plains.

      Chapter 2

      Corn and Grain Sorghum Morphology, Physiology, and Phenology

      Corn and grain sorghum are among the top cereal crops worldwide, and both are key for global food security. Similarities between the two crops, particularly their adaptation for warm-season grain production, pose an opportunity for comparisons to inform appropriate cropping decisions. A comprehensive comparison of morphological, physiological, and phenological characteristics for these crops is dated and limited. The objective of this chapter of the book was to investigate and document key morphological, physiological, and developmental characteristics of corn and grain sorghum in comparison to one another. Around 60 peer-reviewed journal articles, extension publications, books, and electronic resources were reviewed. Morphologically, grain sorghum and corn appear similar, at least above ground during their vegetative growth stages. Their physiology and developmental stages also are similar in resource-rich environments. Notable differences reported for the two crops in morphology, physiology, and phenology were related to their adaptation to different water stress conditions. Relatively, sorghum is more deeply and densely rooted, maintains physiological activities at higher levels than corn in lower water conditions, and has the plasticity to hasten or delay phenological events under drought stress conditions. Corn tends to have taller stalks and relatively more leaves, favoring greater yield in resource-rich environments.

      Keywords

      Morphology; physiology; phenology; drought; embryonic roots; photosynthesis; transpiration; stomata

      Plant morphology, the study of plant anatomy or form, is a reflection of ecological adaptation (Kaplan, 2001). Due to the strong relationship between form and function, plant morphology has strong implications for plant physiology. Plant phenology, or timing of developmental events in plants (Koch et al., 2007), is also a reflection of ecological and genetic characteristics. A study of corn and sorghum morphology, physiology, and phenology is important for understanding the drivers of differential performance of these crops; however, a recent comprehensive study does not exist on this topic. The objective of this review paper was to investigate the morphological, physiological, and developmental characteristics of corn and grain sorghum to help understand reasons behind the differences and similarities between the two crops. Reports of more than 60 peer-reviewed journal articles, extension publications, books, and electronic resources were reviewed.

      2.1 Morphology

      In the vegetative stage, grain sorghum and corn have a similar appearance, which can pose an identification challenge even for an expert (Figure 2.1). Root, stem, and leaves comprise the vegetative stage morphology of corn and sorghum. Despite the similar appearance of these vegetative parts of the two crops, the detailed differences in the number, size, distribution, and response of underground and aboveground vegetative parts of the two crops are among the crucial factors cited as responsible for variation in yield and

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