Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), also known as milo and kafir, is a grain crop, but there are significant varieties of grass sorghum. Modern genetic development through cross-breeding has created improved varieties, all termed under the name of sorghum, and thus, other terminology is quickly disappearing.
Sorghum is a major cereal crop for the semi-arid tropic zone, including areas in China, India, Africa, Australia, Argentina, and even the Midwest and southern United States. In general, sorghum thrives in areas that are not as suitable for corn as it can withstand high temperatures and lack of irrigation. Of course, sorghum cannot easily withstand the harsh conditions under which cold-resistant cereal crops can be raised. As a rule of thumb, at warm climates devoid of ample irrigation, sorghum outperforms corn, and the opposite is true when water is more freely available.
