When was sorghum introduced to China?
Sorghum, also known as shushu, taoshu, muji and other names, is an annual herbaceous plant of the genus Sorghum in the grass family. It is widely cultivated in our country and can be divided by traits and uses into grain sorghum, sweet sorghum, broom sorghum and other types. The grains of grain sorghum are used for food and for brewing liquor, the stalks of sweet sorghum can be made into syrup or eaten raw, and the panicles of broom sorghum can be made into brooms or pot-scrubbers. Now let us take a look at when sorghum was introduced to China!
When was sorghum introduced to China?
Relevant unearthed artifacts and records in agricultural books and historical documents prove that sorghum has been cultivated for at least 5000 years. Regarding its origin and evolution, there have long been two theories: one says it was introduced from Africa or India, and the other says it is native to China. However, many researchers believe that sorghum originated in Africa, then spread to India, and then to the Far East. Sorghum is widely distributed in the world and highly variable in morphology, and Africa is the region with the most varieties of sorghum. Snowden collected 17 wild species of sorghum, 16 of which came from Africa; of the 31 cultivated species he identified, 28 were from Africa, and of the 158 varieties, only 4 were found outside Africa.
The growth habits of sorghum
Sorghum likes warmth and light. The temperature it needs during its growth period is higher than that of corn, and it has a certain tolerance to high temperatures. The suitable temperature for the whole growth period is 20-30°C. Moreover, sorghum is a C4 crop and needs sufficient light throughout its growth period. Its root system is well developed, and the root cells have relatively high osmotic pressure, giving it a strong ability to absorb water from the soil. At the same time, the surface of the stems and leaves has a layer of white wax, which can reduce sensitivity during drought.
Where are the producing areas of sorghum?
1. Spring-sown early-maturing region: The spring-sown early-maturing region includes all of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Inner Mongolia and other provinces and regions, the Chengde area of Hebei Province, the area below the Zhangjiakou dam, the northern parts of Shanxi and Shaanxi Provinces, the arid region of Ningxia, the central and Hexi areas of Gansu Province, the northern plains and basins of **, and so on. The production varieties are mainly early-maturing and medium-early-maturing types. Because the accumulated temperature is relatively low, production is easily affected by low-temperature chilling injury, so technical measures to prevent low temperatures and promote early maturity should be adopted. It is a one-crop-per-year system, usually sown in early to mid-May and harvested in September.
2. Spring-sown late-maturing region: The spring-sown late-maturing region includes most areas of Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi and other provinces, Beijing, Tianjin, the Yellow River irrigation district of Ningxia, eastern and southern Gansu Province, the southern and eastern Xinjiang basins of **, and so on. It is the main sorghum-producing region of our country, with a relatively high yield level. It is basically a one-crop-per-year system, and because the heat conditions are relatively good, late-maturing varieties are mostly used for cultivation. In recent years, due to reform of the farming system, summer-sown sorghum has been planted after wheat harvest, changing one crop per year into three crops in two years or two crops per year.
3. Spring and summer sowing region: The spring and summer sowing region includes parts of Shandong, Jiangsu, Henan, Anhui, Hubei, Hebei and other provinces. Spring-sown sorghum and summer-sown sorghum each account for about half. Spring-sown sorghum is mostly distributed on relatively poor low-lying and saline-alkali land, and medium-late-maturing varieties are mostly used. Summer-sown sorghum is mainly distributed on flat and fertile land, as the following crop after summer harvest crops, and early-maturing varieties with a growth period of no more than 100 days are mostly used. The cultivation system is mainly two crops per year or three crops in two years.
4. Southern sorghum region: The southern sorghum region includes the southern part of Central China and all of South China and Southwest China. The distribution area is vast, mostly scattered planting, and the provinces with relatively more planting include Sichuan, Guizhou, Hunan and other provinces. The varieties used are strongly short-day, mostly loose-panicle and glutinous varieties, and most have tillering ability. The cultivation system is three crops per year, and in recent years ratoon sorghum has developed to a certain extent.