Sorghum hybrids with good cold tolerance have demonstrated their potential as early plant options following timely rainfall this summer season.

The Pioneer^® sorghum hybrid Bonus.MR is known as the benchmark early start specialist but this year it has been equalled by the new Pioneer^® hybrid 85G08.

The new grain sorghum impressed Norm Mackay of Reardon Farms at ‘Baalgamman’ Moree when he planted 85G08 on August 23 this year.

“We had rain and the soil temperature said it was right to go,” Mr Mackay said. 

The soil temperature of the paddock was at 15 to 16 degrees Celsius and the 85G08 started to emerge within five days of sowing.

MR43 and MR.Buster were sown at the same time and turned purple after emergence because the warm days were followed by cooler night-time temperatures.

Mr Mackay said 85G08 was the best hybrid on the property and stayed green as the other hybrids changed colour.

85G08 has also been used successfully on the early plant on the property of Roger Blanch near Clifton on Queensland’s Darling Downs.

The hybrid was planted on September 4 after almost 90 mm of rain was received.

The soil temperature was tested a day prior to planning and a reading of 16 degrees Celcius was recorded.

“I took soil temperatures for the next 10 days and it didn’t drop below thirteen and a half degrees,” Mr Blanch said.

The 85G08 stayed a good green colour during the cooler conditions whereas nearby Johnson grass weeds turned purple.

A further 25 mm of rain assisted the crop at emergence and the sorghum was well established by the end of September.

Another paddock of 85G08 was planted on September 14 and was more than an inch high by the end of the month.

Mr Blanch said the early-planted sorghum had the advantage of the second rainfall event and would also be more advanced if the hot weather experienced over the past few years arrived around Christmas.

He said sorghum planted in September proved an excellent option last season and was an acceptable risk to take advantage of available moisture.

New Pioneer^® 85G08 (above left) has shown equal cold tolerance to the benchmark cold start hybrid Bonus.MR. Other hybrids planted early (such as MR43 - above right) have struggled and have shown high levels of leaf discoloration.