A study was conducted at the Maricopa Agricultural Center to determine the influence of planting date on time to flowering of sorghum hybrids. Sorghum was planted on March 19, April 16, May 14, June 18, July 2, July 16, and July 30. A total of 17 sorghum hybrids varying in maturity groups from early to late were planted at each date. The number of days from planting to flowering was greatest at the March 19 planting date and decreased with each planting date thereafter. Growing degree days required to reach flowering likewise decrease as planting was delayed. In order to avoid the heat during pollination in the early part of the summer, early to medium maturity hybrids need to be planted in mid-March at Maricopa. July planting dates resulted in flowering occuring in late August and September.

Herbaceous wind barriers are tall grasses or other non-woody plants established in narrow strips spaced across the field perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction. They are used on cropland to protect soils and crops from damaging effects of wind and wind-borne soil particles. They should also provide food and cover for wildlife. In Arizona, there is a need to identify herbaceous plants, commonly used for crops, which are effective in controlling soil erosion caused by wind on cropland. This trial was conducted at the Tucson Plant Materials Center and is composed of three hybrid grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench ssp. bicolor) types (‘SG-677’, ‘DS9300’, and ‘KS-735’), one forage sorghum (‘NK300’), one silage corn (Zea mays L.) type (‘N91-19’), and two grain corn types (‘Mexican June’ & ‘DX-93’). All sorghum types had good height, excellent retention of upright foliage, and excellent second year sprouting. It is apparent that sorghum can be a multi-year herbaceous wind barrier and when established will require minimal amounts of irrigation water to keep it growing and functioning as a multi-year herbaceous wind barrier. The two best performers for the sorghum varieties are ‘KS-735’ and ‘SG-677’. This information can be applied to the conservation practices such as Herbaceous Wind Barrier (603) and Cross-Wind Trap Strips (589C).

Sweet sorghum has potential as an energy crop in the Southwest since, compared to corn, it requires less fertilizer and water, is cheaper to grow, and requires less energy to process into ethanol. The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of obtaining two crops of sweet sorghum from a single seeding. Two cultivars of sweet sorghum were seeded at early and late dates at the Maricopa Agricultural Center in 2006. Two crops of sweet sorghum were obtained in our study with a short season cultivar Bundle King, but not with the longer season cultivar MMR 327/36. The ethanol yield of Bundle King of 213 gal/acre from two crops planted on April 7 was not significantly greater statistically than the ethanol yield of 162 gal/acre from a single crop planted on June 1. Bundle King is an inherently low yielding variety, as are most short season sweet sorghum cultivars that may be used for double cropping. Thus, the problem with double cropping is identifying a suitable cultivar along with increased harvest costs, despite the advantage of providing a more even supply of feedstock to an ethanol plant.

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