Sorghum: An Ancient Relative pt 3

June 27, 2025

the following is a repost of this year’s grant reports shared with Going to Seed, a national non-profit focused on supporting landrace gardening. They were generous enough to support our sorghum breeding project for 3 years, 2024-2026.

Some of the sorghum has already given up, we have about 12 varieties growing strong at the moment.

Our young Onavas Red Sorghum, from Pima Bajo, Onavas, Mexico. Seeds provided by Native Seed/SEARCH.

The sorghum is intercroppes with corn, sweet potatoes and some Black eyes peas that may have to get replanted. There’s sesame in the front row as well. Seeds were direct seeded in May, and took a few weeks to get going due to some temp fluctuation. The Southwest varieties, and the Sudanese varieties are doing very well, and are catching up to the corn. There are about 60 plants across 12 varieties.

Sorghum field in mid-summer, intercropped with corn (and peas that clearly are struggling). A row of sesame is growing slowly in the front as well.