QuickDry BMR Sorghum x Sudangrass

Summer Select QuickDry BMR sorghum x sudangrass offers faster dry down times than the rest of the competition, which is one of the main concerns about harvesting sorghum x sudangrass in the northern US and areas of higher humidity. QuickDry is a very high quality, high yielding BMR 6 variety and has a traditional style sorghum x sudangrass growth habit, with value added BMR 6 gene technology. QuickDry BMR has tremendous stay green and disease resistance, making it a very versatile variety that will travel throughout the United States.

CHARACTERISTICS:

1 = Poor; 5 = Excellent

BMR (Brown Mid-Rib): BMR 6
Traits: N/A
Maturity: Medium Late
Seedling Vigor: 5
Recovery After Cutting: 4
Leaf Disease Resistance: 4
Sugarcane Aphid Tolerance: 3
Double Crop: 4
Single Silage Cut: 2
Rapid Dry Down: 3

Uses:

• Grazing – recommended begin height is 18-20 in. with a stop height of 6-8 in.
• Hay/Baleage – the large number and size of the leaves make SS QuickDry BMR a superior hay/baleage product
• Silage – The large amounts of digestible energy coming from the high quality fiber in SS QuickDry BMR, along with the great leaf to stem ratio means that you can expect a superior, highly nutritious silage product
  time after time

SEEDING:

Planting Time:
May-July
Emergence (days): 10

Seeding Information:

• • Soil temperature of 60 F and climbing
  • Average seeds/pound: 14,000-15,000
  • Planting depth should be 1-1½ in., depending on soil moisture
  • Follow recommended seeding rates for your area:

Higher moisture areas: 35-50 lbs./acre
High plains (lower moisture): 20-25 lbs./acre

MANAGEMENT:

Fertility:

• • Please test your soil!
  • Under favorable conditions, 1-1¼ lbs. of nitrogen per day of planned growth should be available for ultimate growth, with little risk for nitrate poisoning. For example, for a planned 40 day harvest, 40-45 lbs. of nitrogen should be available
  • Potassium levels should be maintained similar to that of corn
  • If soil pH is greater than 7.2, an application of iron may be necessary to prevent iron chlorosis

Avoiding Nitrate and Prussic Acid Poisoning:

• • Do not harvest drought stricken plants within four days following a heavy rain
  • Do not apply nitrogen prior to expected drought periods
  • If in doubt, cut at higher stubble height as nitrates tend to accumulate in the lower stalk
  • If high prussic acid is found, wait one month prior to feeding
  • Unlike excessive nitrates, prussic acid will escape from the plant over time

Harvest:

• First cutting: for best quality, plan to harvest within 40 days of growth and less than 40 in. of growth
• Cutting height: for optimum regrowth, crop should be harvested leaving 2 nodes or approximately 6-8 in. of plant material
• Use sharp blades: a clean cutting will enhance regrowth
• Sorghum species dry down slowly due to the bloom found on the plant (the waxy white substance found on the stalks): it is advised to swath the harvested crop, allowing it to wilt to the desired moisture level, before picking it up for storage
• Quality levels, including NDFd and protein, will decline as harvest is delayed. Harvesting during vegetative growth is imperative to insure the ultimate in forage quality
• For highest energy levels, it is advised to harvest the crop at the flag leaf stage. The sugar formulation in the sorghum stalks and leaves will be at their highest levels from this stage until grain formation