Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics

Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut

Module 3: Soils and Climatic requirements

After completing this lesson, you have learned to answer:

1. What type of soils are best suited for sorghum cultivation?

2. What soil aspects are considered in the choice of a soil for sorghum?

3. Do sorghum tolerate soil salinity and alkalinity?

Lesson 1: Sorghum Soils

Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics

Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut

Module 3: Soils and Climatic requirements

Grain sorghum can be grown on many different soils. Sorghum will yield best on deep, fertile, well-drained loamy soils. However, it is quite tolerant of shallow soil and droughty conditions.

Sorghum can be grown successfully on clay, clay loam, or sandy loam soils.

Lesson 1: Sorghum Soils

Loamy soil

Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics

Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut

Module 3: Soils and Climatic requirements

Fertile, well‑drained soils are important to optimize yield.

Soils with clay loam or loam texture, having good water retention capacity are best suited for sorghum cultivation.

Grain sorghum is more tolerant of wet soils than most grain crops.

Lesson 1: Sorghum Soils

Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics

Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut

Module 3: Soils and Climatic requirements

Sorghum grown on deep, well drained permeable soils usually develops extensive root systems.

Mature plant roots may penetrate to depths of 4 to 6 feet in an ideal soil.

Root development can be severely restricted by soil conditions such as excessively high or low soil moisture levels, hard pan and compaction.

Lesson 1: Sorghum Soils

Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics

Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut

Module 3: Soils and Climatic requirements

Sorghum has moderate salt tolerance - slightly less than wheat but higher than maize.

It does well in pH range of 6.0-8.5 as it tolerates considerable salinity and alkalinity.

Sorghum is sensitive to aluminum toxicity and soils with acid saturation higher than 20% can pose a problem.

Soils seriously infected with witch weed or striga must be avoided.

Lesson 1: Sorghum Soils

Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics

Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut

Module 3: Soils and Climatic requirements

Soils seriously infected with witch weed or striga must be avoided.

Lesson 1: Sorghum Soils

Striga infected sorghum field

Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics

Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut

Module 3: Soils and Climatic requirements

In tropical and subtropical conditions of India, sorghum is extensively grown in light - textured red sandy, red loamy, alluvial and coastal - alluvial soils as well as on mixed black and red and medium black soils.

Sorghum is also grown on medium black soils, deep alluvial loams and on sandy and gravelly soils of poor fertility with low organic matter content but the yields are low.

Lesson 1: Sorghum Soils