Sorghum variety STEPNOE is an early-maturing variety with a vegetation period of 100–110 days, intended for cultivation in steppe zones. Plants reach a height of 150–180 cm, have light green leaf coloration and a symmetrical, medium-length and density panicle. At maturity, glume scales acquire a reddish-brown tint, and the grain is round, light-brown with an elliptical profile and glassy endosperm. The mass of 1000 seeds is 20.6–23.0 g. Foliage of plants averages 36.8%, which contributes to high productivity.
The variety is characterized by high yield of green mass, reaching 27.5 tons/ha, as well as grain with indicators of 1.8–1.9 tons/ha. Feed qualities are high: crude protein content reaches 8.1%, fiber — 20–29%, and total sugar — 15.6%. The variety is drought-resistant; in the absence of moisture, growth and development are temporarily suspended, however, upon improvement of conditions, the plant quickly recovers and outperforms local varieties. Steppe sorghum is resistant to lodging and is well adapted to mechanized harvest.
A feature of the variety is a high degree of tillering, which contributes to the formation of a significant volume of green mass. Yellow coloration of lemmas and weak or absent development of the awn of the lower floral glume are characteristic signs. Thanks to its qualities and adaptability, the STEPNOE variety is suitable for use both in the food industry and as feed raw material, ensuring stable and high yields under steppe climate conditions.
