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Sorghum Plant Plant Development
STAGE 0: Emergence When the plant first breaks through the soil surface (generally occurs 3 to 10 days after planting). Depth and date of planting greatly affect emergence rate. During this period, growth depends on the seed for nutrients and food reserves.
Planting should be timed so that germination and early growth occur during warm temperatures and so flowering will occur before the hottest period of summer. The time required for emergence is impacted by soil temperature, moisture conditions, depth of planting, and vigor of the seed.
Cool, wet conditions during this time may favor disease organisms that seriously damage stands. Seed should be treated with a fungicide before planting.
Weed control should be considered. Producers have pre-plant, pre-emergent, and/or post-emergent herbicides available for use. Herbicides are generally used due to the problems encountered with hoeing or cultivation of large fields. This is very apparent in years with above average rainfall, when mechanical practices are limited by wet soil conditions.
By R. L. VANDERLIP
Three-Leaf Stage Leaves are counted when the collar of the leaf can be seen without tearing the plant apart. The collar is the area where the leaf blade and leaf sheath attach. It is important that the date of planting be late enough so that sorghum can grow rapidly during the three-leaf stage.
While the plant’s growth rate depends largely on temperature, this stage usually will occur about 10 days after emergence.
Since the plant is quite small, relatively slow growth and poor weed control can seriously reduce yield.
As the growing point is still below the soil surface, much of the leaf area can be removed (by hail or insects) without killing the plant. However, sorghum does not recover as vigorously as corn.
