Establishing Energy Sorghum as a Profitable Cash Crop in New York State

CATO ANALYTICS, LLC WITH FUNDING FROM THE NEW YORK FARM VIABILITY INSTITUTE.

ESTABLISHING ENERGY SORGHUM AS A PROFITABLE CASH CROP IN NEW YORK STATE

HOW IS ENERGY SORGHUM DIFFERENT FROM GRAIN SORGHUM AND FORAGE SORGHUMS?

-Energy type sorghums are selected for maximum biomass production in the vegetative part of the plant.-Energy sorghums stay in the vegetative stage throughout the entire growing season and will not produce any grain in the Northeast. -Energy sorghums are selected for tonnage alone but can be used as cattle feed when used as part of a total mixed ration.- Energy type sorghums are available in a single or multi- harvest system, depending on the variety. -A frost is required to initiate dry down for silage in a single harvest system.

WHAT ARE ENERGY TYPE SORGHUMS USED FOR?

Energy type sorghums are used in cellulosic sugar extraction for ethanol and biochemical manufacturing. Energy sorghum is an annual crop planted and harvested every year. It can be used as a primary crop for a sugar extraction facility or as bridge crop to provide feedstock until a perennial energy crop is established such as switchgrass, willow or miscanthus.

HOW LONG HAS ENERGY SORGHUM BEEN GROWN IN NEW YORK-Several years of research at Cornell starting in 2006.-Demonstration plots grown by CCE Oneida County in 2012-Several commercial fields planted on farms in 2010 and 2011 by private project developers. -More than 400 acres of one energy sorghum variety grown on several Western New York farms in 2012 in conjunction with this project.

WHAT ARE THE GENERAL PRACTICES FOR GROWING SORGHUM IN NEW YORK STATE?

-Plant from late May to late June with a minimum soil temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit.-Planting depth should be between 1 and 1.25 inches.-A planting rate of about 60,000 seeds per acre should be used.-Sorghum plates for vacuum or brush meters should be used, the seed is about the size of a BB. -20-30” rows provide the best results. Row spacing less than 20” is not desirable. -Herbicide or cultivation is required. Check herbicide labels for compatibility with sorghum.-For this research, fertilizer rates similar to corn silage was used. Lower rates may provide satisfactory results.

WHERE DOES ENERGY SORGHUM FIT IN A CROP ROTATION?-Energy sorghum will produce the highest yields as a full season crop planted in late May in New York.-Energy sorghum can also be planted as late as the end of June to fit in a rotation with early peas or other spring/early summer harvested crops.There is good potential to double crop with spring harvested small grains harvested as a forage.-Additional research is needed to determine optimum planting date by region in NYS and the yield consequences of later planting in an average year.

RESEARCH PROJECT OBJECTIVES:

1) Evaluate three commercial sorghum hybrid lines from Blade Energy Crops in strip trials located in farmer’s fields for yield and quality.

2) Evaluate Blade Energy Crops ES5200 high biomass energy sorghum in farmer’s fields for yield and agronomic factors.

3) Prepare a 2013 planting guide based on the experience with ES5200 addressing such factors as seed rates and depth, planting dates, harvest timing and general practices.

SORGHUM-HYBRID TEST VARIETIES ESTABLISHED IN 2012 IN 4 TEST PLOTS ON THREE FARMS.

FARM 1: FOUR ROWS EACH OF EJ7282, ES5155, ES5140 AND ES5200 WERE ESTABLISHED USING A 16 ROW PLANTER ON 6/7/12

Planting took place in nearly ideal conditions on this farm.

FIELD 1, ALBION, NY: PLANTING - 6/7/12

The energy sorghum emerged quickly even under somewhat crusted soil conditions.

FIELD 1, ALBION, NY: 6/15/12

2012 drought conditions began shortly after planting

FIELD 1, ALBION, NY: 6/29/12

The corn in the background was planted more than 3 weeks before the sorghum.

FIELD 1, ALBION, NY: 6/29/12

sorghum

Corn

The sorghum continues to grow in height until a killing frost. At this farm it eventually out grew the corn planted more than 3 weeks earlier.

FIELD 1, ALBION, NY: 9/17/12

corn

sorghum

HARVESTING SORGHUM: ALBION, NY

LESSONS LEARNED DURING THE 2012 SEASON-Planting depth and spacing are essential for good emergence and standability. -Energy sorghum will tiller heavily to fill in gaps.-Planting into soils less than 60 degrees Fahrenheit will result in poor emergence.-Seed size varies considerably between varieties and metering systems should be adjusted accordingly. -Early herbicide application is important as there are very few post-emergence options-Nitrogen rates should be tried at different application rates to determine the optimum economic return.

OPTIMIZING YIELD-The best results occurred on fields planted in late May into warm soils.-Vacuum meters produced the best spacing for smaller seed.-Energy sorghum was planted with conventional tillage, strip till and no-till. All tillage types performed well when planted into warm soils at correct depth and spacing.-Test varieties performed well and research will determine best use based agronomic and chemical attributes.-Test plot yields ranged from 5-12.5 dry matter (DM) tons per acre with an average of 9.25 DM tons per acre.-The lowest yields occurred in the test plot planted the first week in July.

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This is a typical analysis of the sorghum tested during the 2012 season. Energy sorghum has been successfully fed as part of a TMR to beef cattle and dairy heifers in NY since 2010.

ENERGY SORGHUM AS A FORAGE

IS THERE A MARKET FOR ENERGY SORGHUM IN NEW YORK?There are no known plans for sugar extraction facilities using energy sorghum in New York for the near term. Alternative uses such as livestock roughage are the only known markets available right now.

WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?-Chuck Kyle, Cato Analytics LLC, Website: catoanalytics.com, Email: [email protected] Energy Crops, Website: bladeenergy.com, Phone: 1-877-498-SEED or Email: [email protected]

Funding from the NY Farm Viability Institute and support from participating farms is greatly appreciated.

THANK YOU!