2018 Congress – presentations

The future is about sorghum. This was shown in Milan.

“The future is about sorghum”. This promising theme mobilised some 200 specialists from the whole world, during the 2nd European Sorghum Congress, which was held in Milan on 7 and 8 November. During 2 days, researchers, producers, transformers… pooled their knowledge, experience and questions. They all agreed: sorghum has a lot of development potential in Europe, as this cereal presents many assets that can be used to meet the environment and economic challenges of tomorrow.

Plenary wednesday 7 November 2018

1. Sorghum ID Presentation.
• Céline Duroc, Sorghum ID Delegate, France
• Charles-Antoine Courtois, Sorghum ID Development Officer, France

2. Grain sorghum market around the world.
• Yannick Carel, Research Officer, Economy and production systems – Arvalis (exposé présenté par Pierre Guillaumin FNPSMS)

3. Grain production in China.
• Li Zhao Yu, Manager of the Beijing office of France Export Céréales, China

4. Sorghum overview in Argentina.
• Leandro Pierbattisti, Chief Economist – Grain Markets, Federation of Country Elevators Associations, Argentina

5. Food, Feed and Fuel in a Rapidly Changing World, Conclusions of the Cape Congress.
• Nat Bascom, Assistant Director of the programme « Collaborative research on Sorghum and Millet », Kansas State University, USA

WORKSHOP 1: Selection and genetic progress. Which solutions to face new challenges?

1. Breeding grain sorghum hybrids successes, opportunities and challenges.
• Prof David Jordan, Professor, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

2. Challenges and breeding strategies.
• Dr Steffen Windpassinger, Selection Department, University Justus-Liebig, Germany

3. Challenges and genetic gains on forage sorghum for areas above 48º latitude.
• Dr De Milliano Walter, Hoeve Dierkensteen Netherlands

4. Analyzing the genetic diversity and architecture of sorghum pollen viability under cold stress.
• André Schaffasz, University Justus-Liebig, Germany

5. Genetic diversity of sorghum in Russia.
• Dr Vladimir Kostunov, Institute Donskoy in Rostov, Russia

6. Designing multi-criteria sorghum ideotypes in changing climate.
• Dr Alessandra Fracasso, Unicatt Italy
• Dr Delphine Luquet, CIRAD, France

7. Genomics-informed sorghum improvement.
• Prof Ian Godwin, Professor in plant molecular genetics, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

8. G2MARS a collaborative approach to improve fodder quality of European sorghum germplasm.
• Quentin Devaud, Breeder, Eurosorgho, France: Biomasse project for the future

7. Economic study of the sorghum in Ukraine.
• Gautier Maupu, Agritel, Ukraine

8. The ecological and economic foot prints of agricultural crops Sorghum.
• Alessandro Raggazzoni, Bologna University, Italy

9. Sorghum Crop, an alternative for Dobrogea farmers.
• Dumitru Manole, Romanian representative

10. Technical & economic references for sorghum production in South-West of France.
• Jean-Luc Verdier – Yannick Carel, Research Officer, Economy and production systems – Arvalis, France

11. Farmer testimony.
• Yvon Parayre. France. 

13. Farmer testimony.
• Cristi Spirido. Romania. 

14. Farmer testimony.
• Mauro Mengoli. Italy. 

15. Farmer testimony.
• Fabienne Coletti. Italy. 

16. Farmer testimony.
• Luigi Boriani. Italy. 

WORKSHOP 3: Which structural outlets and new outlets to secure sorghum production in Europe?

SUMMARY
• Célia Brogniet, Caussade Semences, France

1 INTRODUCTION Presentation of different types of sorghum.
• Magdalena Bushmann, Manager of the sorghum and sunflower markets, KWS, Germany

1 Organising sorghum harvesting at the scale of a territory.
• Clément Roux, Arterris agricultural cooperative, France

2 Producers-processors-breeders partnerships, for a local distribution channel.
• Cristi Spiridon, (Zorin SRL, Director, Romania)

3 Use of sorghum for the production of electrical energy_the Coprob experience.
• Massimo Zavanella. Coprob

4 Use of sorghum in broiler chicken diets.
• Anca Gheorghe, Research service INCDBNA – IBNA Balotesti, Romania

5 Effects of dietary sorghum on performance.
• Mihaela Habeanu, Research service INCDBNA – IBNA Balotesti, Romania