Plants

sorghum

Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench

Family: Poaceae · Genus: Sorghum

great millet, guinea corn

Placenta I Emergent Mulch biomass

African annual cereal highly tolerant of drought. Rebello & Sakamoto (2019) list sorghum among grain crops (alongside soybean, corn, and cotton) proposed for future syntropic experiments. Embrapa CT-16 already lists it as a second-season crop in consortium with feijão-bravo. Excellent Cerrado adaptation.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage: Placenta I
Ecological role: Pioneer
Primary stratum: Emergent
Strata: Emergent, High
Biomass class: Mulch biomass

Environment

Light requirement: Full sun
Water requirement: Low
Drought tolerance: High
Waterlogging tolerance: Low
Soil pH range: 5.5–7.5

Morphology

Mature height: 1.5–4 m
Root system: Fibrous
Root depth: Deep
Growth rate: Very fast
Lifespan: ≤ 1 year
Time to first harvest: 4 months

Biomes & climate

Cerrado Suitable
Caatinga Suitable
Atlantic Forest Suitable

Köppen classes

Tropical savanna with dry winter (Aw) Suitable
Hot semi-arid (BSh) Suitable
Subtropical with dry winter (Cwa) Suitable

Where it fits in a guild

Sorghum takes the Emergent stratum in the Placenta I phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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🪴 Cultivation

Grows best in deep, fertile, well-drained loamy-clay soils. Its deep root system (from the top ~90 cm layer to twice that depth) gives it greater drought resistance than maize, thriving in semi-arid areas. Tolerates short waterlogging but is sensitive to frost and to sustained flooding. Optimal at 30 °C; yields well on less than 400–750 mm rainfall.