By Jennifer Whitlock
Field Editor
After last year’s exciting first-of-its-kind grain sorghum release, Alta Seeds announced a new herbicide-tolerant forage sorghum variety.
The hybrid forage sorghum, ADV F8484IG, features igrowth® technology for pre- and post-emergence weed control applications using Alta’s Imiflex herbicide. It’s offered as part of the company’s Empyr Premier Forages product lineup.
This is a major step forward as more farmers and ranchers turn to forage sorghum for silage, said Tom Kilcer, Advanced Ag Systems owner and Cornell Cooperative Extension agronomist.
“Seed cost for corn is about $120 per acre, but we can grow forage sorghum for about $20 per acre,” Kilcer said. “So right off, we save about $100 per acre in seed cost.”
In Texas, farmers and ranchers are looking for alternatives, because they no longer have water well capacities to grow high-yield corn silage, according to Dr. Jourdan Bell, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agronomist.
Forage sorghums also can grow in temperatures up to 105°F, a major advantage in hotter climates like those found across Texas.
“It will yield twice as much on an inch of water than corn silage will,” Kilcer said. “If you look at the BMR [brown midrib] products, they will yield anywhere from 50-125% higher than corn will on an inch of water. So when it turns dry, the sorghum crop will really come through for you.”
Growing forage sorghum also may provide farmers and ranchers some soil benefits, too. He noted research indicates forage sorghums only have half the soil erosion of conventional corn, and the finer root systems improve soil structure by breaking up the ground at a deeper profile.
When it comes to feeding livestock, forage sorghums show an advantage in terms of feed input costs. Kilcer said a nutritionist at a dairy could replace soybean meal with corn meal in a ration with forage sorghum and still get the same milk production at a lower cost.
Farmers and ranchers also will find benefit in Alta Seeds’ forage sorghum varieties through their yield and quality characteristics, Mark Kirk, Alta Seeds eastern and western regional sales manager, said.
“This hybrid is an ideal selection for producers looking for next-generation technology and superior yield potential,” Kirk said. “In a drought year like 2021, and the complications that will continue into the next growing season, forage sorghum can be a grower’s first choice for generating feed crop with a quicker turnaround with an economic benefit. ADV F8484IG will only improve producer margins by controlling weeds, conserving nutrients and water usage, and improving forage quality with cleaner fields.”
Visit Alta Seeds for more information.