Sorghum
The wild sorghums present a diverse array of morphological variability and have presented taxonomists with an interesting challenge.
The three main native species located in Asia an Africa are Sorghum bicolor, Sorghum propinguum and Sorghum halepense.
Sorghum bicolor subp. Arundinaceum is an allotetraploid that is found in tropical Africa, while S. propinguum shares the same chromosome number and is located in Asia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
S. halepense or Johnson grass is a segmental auto-allo-octoploid and is located in an overlapping zone between the other two species.
The sorghums are summer growing crops which are used in a number of ways grain sorghum for grain; sweet or folder sorghum, Sudan grass and Columbus grass for silage, green feed and grazing; and broom millet for brooms and brushware.
However, the grain is used primarily as stock-feed and is an important source for supplementing other coarse grains for this purpose.
Sorghum
November 9, 2009
October 21, 2009
Soft Red Winter Wheat
Soft Red Winter Wheat
Wheat is named for the season (winter or spring) in which it is planted, its texture (hard or soft) and the color (red, white and amber).
Regarding season, winter wheat is planted on cold seasons (fall and winter) and harvested in June or July.
Examples of winter wheat include – hard red winter, soft red winter or white winter wheat.
Soft red winter wheat is grown primarily in the areas east and south of where hard red winter wheat is grown.
The principle soft red winter wheat producing states include Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Small acreage is also grown in The Pacific Northwest.
This type of wheat accounts for approximately 15% of the total wheat acreage of the United States. The flour is used for cakes, cookies, crackers and pastries.
It has a lower protein content that hard red winter wheat. The softer the wheat, the lower the protein content.
Soft Red Winter Wheat
Wheat is named for the season (winter or spring) in which it is planted, its texture (hard or soft) and the color (red, white and amber).
Regarding season, winter wheat is planted on cold seasons (fall and winter) and harvested in June or July.
Examples of winter wheat include – hard red winter, soft red winter or white winter wheat.
Soft red winter wheat is grown primarily in the areas east and south of where hard red winter wheat is grown.
The principle soft red winter wheat producing states include Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Small acreage is also grown in The Pacific Northwest.
This type of wheat accounts for approximately 15% of the total wheat acreage of the United States. The flour is used for cakes, cookies, crackers and pastries.
It has a lower protein content that hard red winter wheat. The softer the wheat, the lower the protein content.
Soft Red Winter Wheat
September 26, 2009
Organic Farming
Organic Farming
Some people in first-world countries now believe that modern practices have become so destructive of the environment and of the health and welfare of the populace.
It is argued that agrochemicals have polluted the environment and damaged the local ecology: this is highly debatable because far less land is needed for staple food production under modern intensive systems than organic systems, which are labor intensive and give low yields.
It is also argued that the crops produced by modern farming methods are “inferior” to those harvested by our forefathers.
It is claimed that they taste inferior, have different textures, and poorer nutritional value.
Pliny, wiring in Ancient Rome, said much the same: country bread was nicer and much more wholesome than the white bread eaten by city people.
Crops from farms using agrochemicals can also contain residual amounts of pesticides and other chemicals.
These chemicals will be a small part of the human diet. For these reasons alternative “organic farming practice” are being encouraged or at least experimented with in regions where food is in surplus.
Organic farming is becoming well established in the United States. In 1996 more than 7000 organic farms were recognized by the government.
Farmers following “organic” farming practices replace chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other agrochemicals with organic material such as composted vegetarian and manure from farm animals.
Crop rotation with the use of nitrogen-fixing plants such as clover increase the nitrogen levels in soil.
Weeds arte discouraged by hoeing, mulching (covering with manure, straw, or sacking, burning) or removing by hand, which is expensive.
Pests are controlled by a variety of methods.
Organic farmers may also design shelters that physically protect their crops from weeds and pests.
Organic farming is more labor intensive and therefore the products are more expensive; however, the defenders of organic practices argue that as less non-sustainable fossil fuel is needed and other “hidden” advantages such as better soil structure, less soil erosion and more diverse ecology are achieved, the price is worth paying.
However for the foreseeable future only a rich population can afford to pay for a luxury of organic staple foods should they wish to.
Organic Farming
Some people in first-world countries now believe that modern practices have become so destructive of the environment and of the health and welfare of the populace.
It is argued that agrochemicals have polluted the environment and damaged the local ecology: this is highly debatable because far less land is needed for staple food production under modern intensive systems than organic systems, which are labor intensive and give low yields.
It is also argued that the crops produced by modern farming methods are “inferior” to those harvested by our forefathers.
It is claimed that they taste inferior, have different textures, and poorer nutritional value.
Pliny, wiring in Ancient Rome, said much the same: country bread was nicer and much more wholesome than the white bread eaten by city people.
Crops from farms using agrochemicals can also contain residual amounts of pesticides and other chemicals.
These chemicals will be a small part of the human diet. For these reasons alternative “organic farming practice” are being encouraged or at least experimented with in regions where food is in surplus.
Organic farming is becoming well established in the United States. In 1996 more than 7000 organic farms were recognized by the government.
Farmers following “organic” farming practices replace chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other agrochemicals with organic material such as composted vegetarian and manure from farm animals.
Crop rotation with the use of nitrogen-fixing plants such as clover increase the nitrogen levels in soil.
Weeds arte discouraged by hoeing, mulching (covering with manure, straw, or sacking, burning) or removing by hand, which is expensive.
Pests are controlled by a variety of methods.
Organic farmers may also design shelters that physically protect their crops from weeds and pests.
Organic farming is more labor intensive and therefore the products are more expensive; however, the defenders of organic practices argue that as less non-sustainable fossil fuel is needed and other “hidden” advantages such as better soil structure, less soil erosion and more diverse ecology are achieved, the price is worth paying.
However for the foreseeable future only a rich population can afford to pay for a luxury of organic staple foods should they wish to.
Organic Farming
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