Grain and Forage Sorghum – Responses to the Future Challenges of Agriculture

The Importance of Sorghum for Europe

In recent years, sorghum has been receiving growing attention across Europe, particularly in response to the challenges of climate change, water scarcity, and the need to diversify crop rotations. It is one of the most dynamically expanding arable crops on the continent, playing an increasingly vital role in sustainable agriculture, animal nutrition, and food supply.
Its strategic value lies in its high drought tolerance, low production input requirements, wide range of applications, and outstanding adaptability—factors that position sorghum as a truly strategic crop in several European agricultural regions.

Utilization Potential

Thanks to its excellent nutritional composition, grain-type sorghum is gaining an increasingly prominent role in animal feeding. Due to its high energy content and favorable digestibility coefficients, it is being incorporated into feed formulas for poultry, swine, and ruminants to a growing extent.
At the same time, its role in human nutrition is expanding rapidly as well. Being a gluten-free cereal, sorghum can be used in flour production, mueslis, snacks, and even brewing. For the industrial sector, sorghum offers opportunities for the production of bioethanol and other bio-based industrial materials.

Forage sorghum hybrids are increasingly used in the production of bulk forage and can complement or even replace silage maize in cattle feeding. Moreover, they represent an excellent biomass source for biogas production.

The Role of Sorghum as an Alternative to Maize

Under specific agronomic conditions, sorghum can serve as a realistic alternative to maize. Its outstanding abiotic stress tolerance—particularly to drought—offers a reliable production option even during hot and dry summers.
Thanks to its low production input requirements, sorghum cultivation is economically viable, and its yield is in demand due to its versatile applicability—from human food and feed to industrial use.
As such, sorghum provides farmers with a practical solution and introduces new opportunities for diversifying crop rotations.

Lidea’s Contribution

Lidea is one of Europe’s leading sorghum breeders and seed suppliers. Through long-term research and development programs, the company contributes to unlocking the crop’s full production potential.
Lidea offers high-performing hybrids tailored to a wide range of climatic conditions and end-use requirements—whether for grain-type or forage sorghum production.
The company’s aim is to establish sorghum as a truly versatile and valuable cash crop for farmers throughout Europe.

Conclusion

Sorghum is a crop that responds to some of the most pressing challenges in European agriculture—climate change, water scarcity, and sustainability.
Lidea’s leading role in breeding and market innovation ensures that farmers across the continent gain access to a reliable, profitable, and environmentally sustainable alternative to maize.

The 4th European Sorghum Conference in Budapest

These key topics will be addressed in detail at the upcoming Sorghum Conference, to be held in Budapest. The event will bring together breeders, researchers, producers, and processing industry professionals to share experiences, present new developments, and shape the future of sorghum in Europe collaboratively.
The conference program includes expert presentations, panel discussions, and field demonstrations, offering valuable opportunities for professional dialogue and international networking.

Lidea Hungary Kft.
For more information: www.lidea-seeds.hu