Lexington, Kentucky
January 28, 2009
For the first time in nearly two
decades, sweet sorghum producers can purchase seeds from a new
variety.
The variety, KN-Morris, was developed through a joint effort by
researchers at the University of
Kentucky College of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of
Agriculture program at the
University of Nebraska. Researchers at the University of
Nebraska started a study to test potential hybrids of sweet
sorghum. With funding from the UK New Crop Opportunities Center,
UK researchers then tested the hybrids and selected the best
performing one for the new variety. In 2008, the Kentucky
Foundation Seed Project grew the variety for seed at UK’s
Horticulture Research Farm in Lexington. Seeds are now available
through the project.
“We only began our sweet sorghum breeding program here about
five years ago, so we are excited about being part of the
development of this variety,” said Todd Pfeiffer, UK plant
breeding and genetics professor.
The variety brings several firsts for sweet sorghum producers.
It is the first hybrid variety of the crop. It is male sterile,
which means it does not reproduce. That increases the crop’s
stand strength which results in less lodging. It also makes it
ideal for sweet sorghum syrup production, because the seeds
usually are discarded during the syrup making process. UK
studies have shown the variety yields 25 percent more juice
allowing it to produce more syrup than other varieties.
It was named for Morris Bitzer, UK sweet sorghum breeder, in
honor of his contributions to the Kentucky and National Sweet
Sorghum Producers and Processors associations. Bitzer served as
executive secretary for both associations for several years.
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