Sweet Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor var. saccharatum) as a Dual-Use Crop for Feed and Bioenergy in the Arabian Gulf: A Systems Perspective for Desert Agriculture

Abstract

Agriculture in the Arabian Gulf operates under extreme constraints, including high temperatures, chronic water scarcity, saline soils, and heavy dependence on energy-intensive irrigation systems. These pressures intensify the need for crop systems that can simultaneously support food security, livestock feed, and renewable energy production. Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor var. saccharatum), a C4 crop with high water-use efficiency and heat and salinity tolerance, has emerged as a promising candidate for such multifunctional systems.

This paper examines the potential role of sweet sorghum in desert and urban-fringe agricultural systems of the Arabian Gulf through a systems-level synthesis of climate adaptation, soil and salinity performance, water regimes, end-use quality, safety considerations, and regeneration and economic viability. Evidence across arid and semi-arid regions indicates that sweet sorghum can sustain biomass and sugar production under high temperatures, deficit irrigation, and moderate salinity, while providing grain for food and feed, forage for livestock, and fermentable sugars for bioenergy. Management practices such as delayed harvest and ensiling effectively mitigate risks associated with nitrate and prussic acid accumulation, supporting safe forage utilization.

Beyond individual agronomic traits, this perspective highlights how sweet sorghum integrates into broader food–feed–fuel systems by reducing water demand, enhancing land productivity, and contributing to renewable energy pathways in water-limited environments. The analysis identifies key knowledge gaps, including cultivar selection under extreme heat and humidity, seed supply strategies, and pilot-scale implementation in Gulf soils. Overall, sweet sorghum is presented not as a single-purpose crop, but as a strategic component of resilient desert farming systems aligned with long-term sustainability and energy diversification goals in the Arabian Gulf.