The sugar sorghum variety "SOUTH" is a medium-maturing crop primarily intended for green mass production. The plant is characterized by high leafiness, reaching 35-40%, which contributes to increased feed value. The variety is distinguished by its drought resistance, lodging resistance, and resistance to damage from common cereal aphids, ensuring crop stability under complex climatic conditions. Average grain yield in the growing region is about 60.9 ц/ga, with maximum indicators up to 253 ц/ga. Green mass possesses good feed qualities, including raw protein content in dry matter at the level of 7.6-8.1% and sugar content in stem juice from 12 to 15%. The plant has a powerful root system capable of penetrating to a depth of three meters, which ensures high drought resistance and allows for effective use of moisture from rains in late summer and early autumn. Sorghum height varies from 0.5 to 5 meters, with several stems and lanceolate leaves with pointed edges. Inflorescences are panicles up to 60 cm long, and seeds have an egg-shaped form and pinkish or red color. The vegetation period is about 130 days, during which the culture is light-loving and heat-loving, optimally developing at temperatures from +30 to +35 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature for grain germination is +12 degrees, and at frosts of about -1 degree, crops may perish. Sorghum "SOUTH" is not demanding on soil types and grows well on both light and heavy soils, is resistant to soil salinity. At the beginning of the vegetation period, plant growth is slowed, which contributes to weed suppression. The crop is widely used in agriculture for producing feeds such as hay and silage, which are comparable in quality to corn. Additionally, sorghum is used to produce groats, flour, and starch, possessing high taste qualities and beneficial for human health due to the content of various mineral substances and vitamins.
