Definition

Noun 1. A type of sorghum plant cultivated primarily for syrup production: Sweet sorghum refers to varieties of the sorghum plant (Sorghum bicolor) that are grown for their sweet juice, which is extracted from the stalks and processed into syrup or molasses. Unlike grain sorghum, it is valued for its high sugar content in the stems.

Usage Examples

• Farmers planted sweet sorghum to produce a natural, flavorful syrup.
• The tall stalks of sweet sorghum are crushed to release their sweet juice.
• Sweet sorghum syrup is often used as a sweetener in baking and cooking.

Advanced Usage

• As a biofuel feedstock: In modern contexts, sweet sorghum is also researched and cultivated as a source of fermentable sugars for bioethanol production, due to its high biomass and sugar yield.
  • The research focuses on using sweet sorghum as a sustainable biofuel crop.

Variants and Related Words

• Sorghum (n): The broader genus of grasses to which sweet sorghum belongs, which includes varieties grown for grain, forage, and syrup.
• Sorghum syrup (n): The thick, sweet product made by boiling down the juice from sweet sorghum stalks.
• Cane sorghum (n): Another common name for sweet sorghum.

Synonyms

• Sorgo (This is a less common synonym specifically for sweet sorghum varieties.)

Notes on Different Meanings

• This term is specific and does not generally refer to the grain sorghum used for human consumption or animal feed. Its primary meaning is tied to its use for syrup.

Noun

1. any of several sorghums cultivated as a source of syrup