2014 sorghum hybrid performance trials in eastern Colorado

Abstract

The 2014 Colorado grain sorghum crop was estimated at 7.50 million bushels, 30 percent larger than the 2013 sorghum crop of 5.76 million bushels. For Colorado, the 2014 grain sorghum crop of 7.50 million bushels was the second largest in the last 10 years. The increase in sorghum production this year was due to the highest harvested acres (250,000) for the last 10 years. The grain yield this year was estimated at 30.0 bu/acre, which was 6 bu/acre more than last year, but 1.8 bu/acre less than the 10 year average. As the production and yield levels indicate, conditions in Eastern Colorado for 2014 were more normal with most areas experiencing drought relief and improvements in precipitation. Sorghum silage statistics are not published during the current year; however, Colorado sorghum silage statistics are available for last year. In 2013, 390,000 tons of sorghum silage was produced. The average yield was 13 tons/acre from 30,000 harvested acres. (USDA and National Agricultural Statistics Service, Colorado Field Office, 2014) This publication is a progress report of the sorghum hybrid performance trials conducted by the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Colorado State University, Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station (AES), and Colorado State University Extension. The grain sorghum trials were conducted at three sites in eastern Colorado: Akron, Brandon, and Walsh. Forage sorghum trials were conducted at Rocky Ford (irrigated) and at Walsh (dryland)