Characterization of Sudanese Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) Germplasm for Some Morphological and Yield Traits

Abstract

This study was carried out to assess the variation in morphological and yield traits for 13 sorghum germplasm. A field experiment was executed during winter season of 2015 at the demonstration farm of the faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum, Shambat. Sorghum accessions were morpho-agronomically characterized by using the sorghum descriptors lists from the International Board of Plant Genetic Resources, IBPGR/ICRISAT (1993) as reference for the observations. The agronomic performance of the accessions was evaluated in regular field experiment with two replications. The results obtained from this study showed that phenotypic variation was detectable for all qualitative characters studied (descriptors). Frequency of occurrence of the different descriptor states varied between rare (<20%), moderate (20% - 60%), common (61% - 90%) and abundant (>90%). A highly significant difference among accessions for all of the studied traits was revealed. Days to flowering, plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, inflorescence length, 100 seed weight and grain number per panicle showed wide variation. While, the inflorescence width and number of leaves per plant showed a little significant differences . Plant height was significant and positively correlated with the Inflorescence length, but significant and negatively correlated with 100 seed weight. The stem diameter was significant and positively correlated with the Inflorescence width, leaf area , grain number per panicle and days to flowering. Moreover, leaf area had significant and positive correlation coefficients with grain number per panicle and days to flowering. The Inflorescence length was significant and positively correlated to the grain number per panicle, but negatively correlated to 100 seed weight. Also the Inflorescence width was significant and positively correlated with days to flowering .While the number of leaves was negatively correlated to 100 seed weight. Also the 100 seed weight was negatively correlated to grain number per panicle. It is concluded that sorghum in Sudan contain high genetic variations in wide spectrum of quantitative and qualitative parameters. Such variations can be very useful to increase the efficiency of sorghum breeding and improvement programs. It is also important to continue conservation of Sudan sorghum germplasm.