Cultura do sorgo (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench): uma revisão sobre sua versatilidade tecnológica, processamento e pós-colheita

Abstract

Sorghum is a cereal that currently ranks fifth in production of cereals. It has an ancient crop that was registered about 5.000 years ago in the East African region, even preceding the cultivation of wheat, rice and corn. The use became popular in the countries of the African and Asian continents and in the 19th century it was expanded to the rest of the world. In Brazil the production is mainly intended for animal feed. The objective of the present work was to present a bibliographic review about the multiple uses of the sorghum crop, the qualities and benefits, particularities related to processing and post-harvest; to contextualize this theme and contribute to this field of research. Sorghum is a culture with C4 metabolism, thus has a photoperiodic response typical of short days and high photosynthetic rates, from tropical climate, with high resistance to water stress, which makes it interesting for places where other species of agricultural interest do not develop sufficiently. Agronomically, sorghum is classified into five groups: graniferous, saccharine, forage, biomass and broom. The graniferous is the one that has the greatest economic prominence, as it is used for the production of food for both animal and human consumption. The graniferous sorghum has advantages such as a good amount of protein, but it does not have the gluten protein with the characteristic of gluten free, which makes it a prominent product in the market due to the current demand for restrictive diets. Sweet sorghum has succulent stems rich in sugars similar to sugarcane, which makes it interesting for bioenergy production, mainly because it is grown in the off-season having enough raw material for ethanol production during the year. whole. Forage sorghum appears as an alternative due to its resistance to the dry season that is rich in nutrients with a high energy value and has a high digestibility power for ruminants. The main characteristic of biomass sorghum is the high size and fibrous culms with a high dry matter yield for the production of biomass, which can be used directly or indirectly. Finally, the broom sorghum has open panicles that are bulky and resistant, which makes it ideal for making brooms. The forms of processing and good storage practices can guarantee longevity for properties of industrial interest, as well as greater food security.