• Version
• Download 5
• File Size 233.19 KB
• File Count 1
• Create Date November 29, 2021
• Last Updated November 29, 2021

Discussion paper on fungi and mycotoxins in sorghum

Sorghum is a genus of about twenty eight species of grasses but only one species namely Sorghum bicolor is cultivated for food and feeds. Archaeological data and historical records are definite that Sorghum bicolor which is mainly grown for its edible grain originated from Africa, around Sudan, Ethiopia, Chad and Cameroon. While the earliest archaeo-botanical records are clear that Sorghum was domesticated in India by 2000 BC (de Wet et al.1966), it is obvious that its cultivation for food in Africa is earlier than when it appeared in Asia and is estimated to be between 4000 BC -3000 BC. There are five primary varieties of Sorghum bicolor namely bicolor, caudatum, durra, guinea and kafir, and ten intermediate varieties which are all combinations of the basic varieties.