Sorghum bicolor

Description

Sorghum is a grass species cultivated for its edible seeds which are considered a grain for dietary purposes. Sorghum is native to tropical Africa, but is now widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas, including the Sonoran Desert. Sorghum is well-adapted to the Sonoran desert since it can grow in arid soils and withstands prolonged drought. It is one of the world’s most drought tolerant crop plants. Sorghum has four features which make it drought hardy: a very large ratio of root volume to leaf surface area, water loss through leaves is reduced by a waxy cuticle, the leaves curl in times of drought to reduce water-loss by transpiration, and the plant responds to drought by entering dormancy rather than dying. Sorghum has a protein level of nine percent, making it an excellent source of protein.