Sorghum

Sorghum

grass genus in the plant family Poaceae; can cause cyanide and nitrate-nitrite poisoning; the cyanide poisoning may be in the peracute, lethal, anoxia form or a chronic form manifested by spinal cord degeneration, ataxia, urinary incontinence and consequential pyelonephritis, or as congenital deformities including arthrogryposis. Includes Sorghum almum, S. bicolor (S. vulgare, grain sorghum), S. halepense (Johnson grass), S. sudanense, S. verticilliflorum. Includes very valuable fodder crops used extensively as ensilage or green chop, and a grain sorghum used for lot feeding. Fodder sorghum is the more dangerous but both should be considered as potentially poisonous.