World SeedBMR 313 Forage Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor)
BMR 313 is a brown-midrib forage sorghum hybrid with lignin reduced by roughly 40 %, which raises fibre digestibility by 5–10 points compared with conventional forage sorghum. It gives three to four cuts in a summer season and is the highest-tonnage summer forage in the Pakistani range. Agronomy, seed standards and producing regions follow.
Botanical identity and type
Botanical name: Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, brown-midrib (bmr-6 type) forage hybrid, Poaceae.
Origin / type: Multi-cut sorghum × sudangrass-type forage hybrid produced in Pakistan under contract; brown-midrib trait lowers lignin.
Crop type: Annual warm-season multi-cut forage hybrid for silage and green chop.
The brown-midrib (bmr) trait is visible as a brown leaf midrib and results from a mutation that reduces lignin in the stem. In feeding trials BMR sorghum silage typically gives 5–8 % more milk per cow than conventional sorghum silage at the same dry-matter intake, approaching maize silage where water is limiting. BMR 313 is a tall (2.5–3.0 m), tillering hybrid that regrows from the base after cutting at 10–15 cm stubble. It is sown from March to July in Pakistan and the Gulf and reaches the first cut at 55–65 days.
Two management notes apply to all forage sorghums. First, prussic acid (hydrocyanic acid) is highest in young regrowth under 60 cm and in drought-stressed or frosted plants; cut or graze above 60–75 cm and allow wilting or ensiling, which dissipates it. Second, nitrate can accumulate under drought followed by rain; a nitrate test on the first cut after such a sequence is prudent. Hybrid seed is F1 and must be bought fresh each season; saved seed segregates.
Compared with sudan grass, BMR 313 gives 30–50 % more dry matter per cut but fewer cuts and slower regrowth; compared with pearl millet it yields more but carries the prussic-acid caveat. The sorghum vs pearl millet guide puts these side by side.
Agronomy at a glance
Figures are typical ranges under good management; local trials should confirm rates for a specific site. Use the sowing rate tables to convert kg/ha to per-acre, per-feddan or per-jerib rates.
| Parameter | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Sowing rate | 20–25 kg/ha drilled for multi-cut; 25–30 kg/ha broadcast (typical) |
| Sowing depth | 2–4 cm into moisture |
| Row spacing | 30–45 cm for forage; 60 cm for single-cut silage |
| Days to first cut | 55–65 days; then 35–45 days between cuts |
| Cuts per season | 3–4 (March–July sowing) |
| Yield, green | 80–120 t/ha per season, all cuts (typical, irrigated) |
| Yield, dry matter | 15–25 t/ha per season |
| Crude protein | 8–12 % DM; 12–14 % in young regrowth |
| Soil pH | 5.5–8.5 |
| Water need | 400–600 mm per season; 4–6 irrigations |
| Temperature | Optimum 25–35 °C; sow when soil is above 16 °C; frost kills |
| Salinity tolerance | Moderate: threshold ECe ~6.8 dS/m |
| Seeds per kg | 28,000–35,000 |
Export seed standards
Standards below are those written on the ISTA-format test report issued with each export lot. See how purity and germination standards work and how to read the report.
| Parameter | Export standard | Method / note |
|---|---|---|
| Pure seed (purity) | 98.0 % min | ISTA purity analysis on a 4-component working sample |
| Germination | 85 % min | ISTA between-paper or sand test, 4 x 100 seeds, normal seedlings |
| Moisture | 12 % max | ISTA oven method (low-constant temperature, 103 °C, 17 h) |
| Inert matter | 2.0 % max | Chaff, soil, broken pieces smaller than half seed |
| Other crop seed | 0.5 % max | Seeds of any other cultivated species |
| Weed seed | 0.1 % max | By number and identity on the report |
| Genetic purity (hybridity) | 95 % min | Grow-out test on parent lines |
| Seed treatment | Thiram/fungicide on request | Colour-dyed when treated; stated on label |
Where it is grown
Hybrid seed is produced under isolation on contract farms in Sindh (Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot) and southern Punjab, with parent lines sown in March and F1 seed harvested in September–October. Lots are conditioned, treated where ordered and tested for germination and hybridity before release in November.
Importing markets: United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Sudan, Egypt, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Chad, Vietnam, Thailand, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico. It is used for pit silage on Gulf dairy farms, for green chop in Egypt and Sudan, and as a spring-sown single-cut silage crop in Türkiye, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
Buying notes
BMR 313 Forage Sorghum Hybrid is exported by Kohenoor International from Karachi and Port Qasim under HS 1007.10. Standard pack is 25 kg; minimum order 1 x 20ft. New-crop hybrid seed ships from November for the next spring sowing. Every shipment carries a phytosanitary certificate (Department of Plant Protection, Pakistan), a certificate of origin, an ISTA-format purity and germination report, packing list and invoice; fumigation certificate and COA on request.
Pricing, samples and shipment planning are handled on the specialist product site: hybridsorghum.com. For loading weights see the container capacity table; for destination paperwork see phytosanitary requirements by destination.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| HS code | 1007.10 |
| Pack | 25 kg |
| Minimum order | 1 x 20ft |
| Purity / germination on report | 98% min / 85% min |
| Shipping terms | FOB or CIF Karachi / Port Qasim |
| Specialist site | hybridsorghum.com |
Frequently asked questions
What does BMR mean in forage sorghum?
Brown midrib. It is a genetic trait that lowers lignin in the plant by about 40 %, which raises the digestibility of the fibre. Cattle eat more of it and produce more milk or gain per kilogram of silage than from conventional sorghum.
How do I manage prussic acid in BMR 313?
Cut or graze only when plants are above 60–75 cm, avoid feeding fresh regrowth after drought or frost, and wilt green chop for a few hours or ensile it. Silage and hay carry negligible prussic acid after curing.
Can I save seed from BMR 313 for next year?
No. It is an F1 hybrid and second-generation seed segregates for height, maturity and the BMR trait. Buy certified F1 seed each season.
How does BMR 313 compare with maize for silage?
In water-limited or hot conditions BMR sorghum silage reaches 90–95 % of the milk yield of maize silage while using about a third less water. Where water is not limiting, maize still gives slightly higher energy.
What is the HS code for forage sorghum seed?
HS 1007.10 (sorghum seed for sowing). Each shipment carries a phytosanitary certificate, certificate of origin and an ISTA-format test report showing purity, germination and moisture.
Need BMR 313 Forage Sorghum Hybrid seed?
The knowledge base is maintained by Kohenoor International's agronomy team. Quotes for BMR 313 Forage Sorghum Hybrid are handled by the export desk and the specialist site linked in the buying notes.
export@kohenoorint.com · +92 310 4929292 · Reply within 24 hours