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Sorghum farming guide for India
Sorghum resembles maize but handles heat better.
Key numbers
- SeasonKharif and Rabiabout 110 days
- Water over the seasonabout 400 mmrain and irrigation together
- Soil pH6.0 to 8.5NPK guide 80:40:40
- Main riskShoot Flysee the watchlist below
Typical values for India. Your soil test and your local KVK's advice come first.
When and where sorghum is grown
Sorghum is grown as a Kharif and Rabi crop in India: June-July or September-October sowing.
Leading states: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan. Soil moisture is best kept around 30 to 50% of capacity for most of the season.
What to watch on your field
What a weekly satellite and weather view of your own field shows at each stage, and when to walk the field.
Sowing and establishment
Watch for patchy emergence: weak, uneven greenness across the field in the first weeks usually means dry pockets or crusting worth checking on foot.
Vegetative growth
Greenness should climb steadily. A part of the field that falls behind the rest is the place to check for nitrogen shortage or waterlogging.
Flowering
The most sensitive window for water and for fungal disease. Hot, dry days or long humid spells here deserve a field walk.
Grain fill and maturity
A steady, even fall in greenness is normal ripening. A sudden early drop in one patch can mean water stress or lodging.
The main risks for sorghum
Most of these follow the weather. A risky week is a reason to inspect the crop, not to spray by default.
For any spray or dose, ask your KVK or an agronomist. VarshaKrishi's free Watch plan never names a product.
- Shoot FlyThe main risk for this crop in India.
- Grain moldWet weather at maturity ruins grain.
- Shoot flyAttacks late-sown crops.
Watering sorghum well
Irrigate at the critical stages (crown root, flowering and grain fill for most cereals) rather than on a fixed calendar, and skip a turn when good rain has fallen. A weekly view of your field and the rain forecast helps time each turn.
Crop water use follows the FAO-56 method: the weather sets a reference demand, and the crop's stage sets how much of it the crop uses. That is why the same field needs different amounts in different weeks.
A weekly message about your own sorghum field.
Watch is free for any field in India: what changed on your field this week, the weather for your village, and a clear note when the satellite cannot see. Decide opens crop by crop after an agronomist reviews each crop model.
1.2 km × 0.9 km · each square 10 m
- Your own field, every week.The squares inside your boundary, compared with your field's own history.
- A clear note when it cannot see.Cloudy weeks and very small plots are named, not guessed.
- Free on Watch.In Marathi, Hindi or English, on WhatsApp.
How each message is made, from which satellites and with which limits: methods and evidence. A real field's year of Sentinel-2 readings, free to download: open data.
Sorghum: common questions
What soil pH does sorghum need?
Sorghum grows best at a soil pH between 6.0 and 8.5. A soil test before the season is the reliable way to know your own field.
How much water does sorghum need?
About 400 mm over a season of roughly 110 days, from rain and irrigation together. The real need changes with the weather, the soil and the crop's stage, which is why it helps to track your own field week by week.
What is the main disease or pest risk for sorghum?
Shoot Fly is the main risk. Most risks follow the weather, so a risky week is a reason to inspect the crop. Ask your KVK or an agronomist before any spray.
When is sorghum grown in India?
Sorghum is grown as a Kharif and Rabi crop: June-July or September-October sowing.
Which states grow the most sorghum?
Leading states include Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan. VarshaKrishi's free Watch plan covers any field in these states: you need WhatsApp and your field's location, nothing installed in the field.