World SeedSudan Grass (Sorghum sudanense)
Sudan grass is the finest-stemmed of the sorghum family, which makes it the sorghum that dries fastest for hay and is safest for grazing. It gives four to five cuts in a summer season from a single sowing. Agronomy, seed standards and where it is grown are set out below.
Botanical identity and type
Botanical name: Sorghum sudanense (Piper) Stapf (syn. S. bicolor subsp. drummondii), Poaceae.
Origin / type: Fine-stemmed annual grass of Sudanese origin; open-pollinated Pakistani selections.
Crop type: Annual warm-season multi-cut grass for hay, green chop and grazing.
Sudan grass tillers heavily, grows 1.5–2.5 m and has stems only 4–8 mm thick, so it cures to hay in two to three days and is eaten with less refusal than forage sorghum. It regrows quickly from basal buds after cutting or grazing at 10 cm stubble and gives its first cut at 45–55 days. Crude protein is 10–14 % of dry matter at 45 days and drops quickly after heading, so cutting at boot stage every 30–35 days is the target.
Prussic acid risk is lower than in forage sorghum but not absent: avoid grazing regrowth under 45 cm or plants stressed by drought or frost, and wilt or cure before feeding if in doubt. Seed is small, about 100,000–130,000 per kg, brown to straw-coloured, and germination in fresh lots is typically 85–90 %.
Against BMR 313, sudan grass yields 20–30 % less dry matter per season but gives one or two more cuts, better hay and lower prussic acid. Against pearl millet it tolerates slightly cooler sowing conditions and heavier soils, while millet is preferred on sand and has no prussic acid. It is also used in spring mixtures with ryegrass in Central Asia to bridge the summer gap.
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 | 20–30 kg/ha broadcast; 15–20 kg/ha drilled (typical) |
| Sowing depth | 2–3 cm |
| Row spacing | Broadcast or 25–30 cm rows |
| Days to first cut | 45–55 days; then 30–35 days between cuts |
| Cuts per season | 4–5 |
| Yield, green | 60–90 t/ha per season, all cuts (typical, irrigated) |
| Yield, dry matter | 12–18 t/ha per season |
| Crude protein | 10–14 % DM at boot stage |
| Soil pH | 5.5–8.5 |
| Water need | 400–700 mm per season |
| Temperature | Optimum 25–35 °C; sow above 15 °C soil; frost kills |
| Salinity tolerance | Moderate: threshold ECe ~5–6 dS/m |
| Seeds per kg | 100,000–130,000 |
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 |
| Johnson grass (S. halepense) | Nil | Checked by seed morphology; declared on request |
Where it is grown
Seed is grown in Sindh and southern Punjab from March–June sowings with seed heads harvested September–November. Fields are isolated from grain and forage sorghum by 200–300 m and inspected for Johnson grass, which some importers prohibit.
Importing markets: United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Sudan, Egypt, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Chad, Vietnam, Thailand, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico. It is the standard summer hay grass in Türkiye, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, and is used for green chop in the Gulf and Egypt and for grazing in Kenya and Ethiopia.
Buying notes
Sudan Grass 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 seed ships from November; spring sowing April–June in most importing countries. 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
How many cuts does sudan grass give?
Four to five cuts in a 150–180 day summer season, with the first at 45–55 days and subsequent cuts every 30–35 days at boot stage. Cutting at 10 cm stubble preserves the basal buds for regrowth.
Is sudan grass safe to graze?
It is the safest of the sorghums for grazing because prussic acid levels are lower, but the same rules apply: graze only above 45 cm, never after frost or during severe drought, and move stock off before regrowth is grazed short.
Sudan grass or forage sorghum for hay?
Sudan grass. Its thin stems cure in two to three days; forage sorghum stems can take a week and often mould. For silage, forage sorghum or BMR types yield more per cut.
Does the seed contain Johnson grass?
No. Johnson grass (Sorghum halepense) is a noxious weed in many countries and is excluded from Pakistani export lots by field inspection and seed morphology checks. A nil declaration can be added to the test report on request.
What is the HS code for sudan grass seed?
HS 1007.10, the sorghum seed heading; the phytosanitary certificate names Sorghum sudanense.
Need Sudan Grass seed?
The knowledge base is maintained by Kohenoor International's agronomy team. Quotes for Sudan Grass are handled by the export desk and the specialist site linked in the buying notes.
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