Heterosis and combining ability for grain yield and yield components in guinea sorghums

Relatively low yields of guinea sorghums have been a major obstacle for sustained progress in yield improvement of the race in West Africa. In an attempt to determine why guinea sorghums of West Africa display low yield potential, seven converted guinea, four zerazera, and two caudatum sorghums were crossed to three improved A-lines. Parents and hybrids were evaluated for heterosis, general and specific combining at Halfway and College Station, Texas during 1989 and 1990. In general, non-guineas were better combiners than guineas for grain yield and most of yield components. Both additive and nonadditive effects for grain yield were observed among guinea parents. The additive effects of non-guineas for grain yield were higher than those of guinea parents. Guineas showed low additive effects for grain yield, number of seeds per panicle, and seed size. Guinea sorghums seem to maintain a relative low grain yield by reducing the number of seeds per particle and the seed size. Most hybrids of guineas showed positive heterosis over the best parent for grain yield. This is an indication that guineas do possess some genes or factors contributing to high yield expression.Les rendements relativement faibles des sorghos guineas ont ete un obstacle majeur pour un progres durable de l'amelioration du rendement de la race en Afrique de l'Ouest. Dans l'intention de determiner pourquoi les sorghos guineas de l'Afrique de l'Ouest ont un potentiel de rendement faible, sept sorghos guineas convertis, quatre zerazera et trois caudatum ont ete croises a trois lignees A ameliorees. Les parents et les hybrides ont ete evalues pour l'heterosis, l'aptitude generale et specifique a la combinaison a Halfway et College Station, Texas en 1989 et 1990. En general, les sorghos non-guineas se sont mieux combines que les sorghos guineas pour le rendement grain et la plupart des composantes de rendement. Les effects additifs et non-additifs pour le rendement grain ont ete observes chez les parents guineas. Les effects additifs des sorghos non-guineas etaient plus eleves que ceux des parents guineas pour le rendement grain. Les parents guineas ont montre des effects additifs pour le rendement grain, le nombre de grains par panicule et la grosseur des graines. Les sorghos guineas semblent maintenir un rendement grain relativement faible en diminuant le nombre de graines par panicule et la grosseur des graines. La plupart des hybrides de parents guineas ont montre des effects positifs d'heterosis pour le rendement de grain compares a leur meilleur parent. Ce resultat est une indication que les sorghos guineas possedent quelques genes ou facteurs contribuant a l'expression de rendement eleve

Factors affecting the polyphenols of sorghum and their development and location in the sorghum kernel

Meeting: Institute of Food Technologists, Annual Meeting, 36th, 10-13 June 1979, St. Louis, Mo., USIn IDL-274

The potential of local cultivars in sorghum improvement in Mali

Over 1300 accessions of sorghum were collected in several regions of Mali. Cultivars were evaluated for photoperiod sensitivity, maturity, genetic traits, yield, agronomic desirability, and food quality. Three major races of sorghum exist in the country: guinea, durra and caudatum. The race guinea represents about 70% of the germplasm in the country and is divided into 2 important groups: Keninke (54%) and Kende (16%). Durra sorghums are the second most important race and represents 17% of Malian sorghums. Different sources of resistance to different abiotic and biotic constraints have been identified. Series of decortication trials were performed to test the effect of kernel texture and shape on yields of decorticated grain. Milling yields of local guineas were consistently above 70%, while experimentals varied from 35% to 68%. Photoperiod sensitive sorghums tend to decrease their seed number by 34 to 58% per panicle for 15 to 30 days of delay in planting. White-seeded, tan-plant guinea-type breeding lines have been developed from the direct cross of guinea with Zerazera, Malisor 84-7 and Sureno. Progenies showed a loose panicle and a large number of seeds per panicle. N'tenimissa, a new tan plant straw glume colour progeny, possesses excellent guinea traits and yield potential and could be useful in processing. Significant information on key characteristics of guineas has been used successfully in breeding to develop new cultivars with improved agronomic and food processing properties.Plus de 1300 accessions de sorgho ont ete collectes dans plusieurs regions du Mali. Les cultivars ont ete evalues pour la sensibilite a la photoperiode, le cycle, les caracteristiques genetiques, le rendement grain, les caraceristiques agronomiques et organoleptiques. Trois dominantes races de sorgho existent dans le pays: guinea, durra et caudatum. La race guinea represente 70% du germplasme Malien et est dividee en 2 groupes: Keninke (54%) et Kende (16%). Les sorghos durra constituent la seconde importante race et representent 17% des sorghos du Mali. Des sources de resistance aux differentes contraintes biotiques et abiotiques ont ete identifiees. Des tests de decortication ont ete realises pour apprecier l'effect de la texture et la forme de grain sur le rendement grain au decorticage. Les rendements au decorticage des sorghos guinea etaient superieurs a 70% et ceux des varietes experimentales varient entre 35% et 68%. Les sorghos sensibles a la photoperiode tendent de reduire leur nombre de grains par panicule de l'ordre de 34%a 58% suite a un retard de semis de 15 a 30 jours. Des lignees a plante-tan et a grain blanc ont ete developpees a partir des croisements de guinea avec Zerazera, Malisor 84-7 et Sureno. Les descendances ont un grand nombre de grains par panicule et une forme paniculaire leche. N'tenimissa, une nouvelle plante tan, a glume paille, possede des traits guinea et un rendement eleve. Des informations importantes sur des caracteristiques majeures des guineas ont ete utilisees en selection avec succes pour le developpement de nouveaux cultivars avec des proprietes agronomiques et de moulage ameliorees

Genetic control and heritability of resistance to grain mold in F2:5 sorghum families with non-pigmented testa

Grain mold limits the productivity of food-type Sorghum bicolor by reducing grain yield and quality. The disease is caused by a complex of fungi including Curvularia lunata, Fusarium sp., Alternaria sp. Phoma sp., and Helminthosporium sp. The presence of many fungal species and environmental factors make breeding and selecting for tolerance difficult. It is the goal of many sorghum breeding programs to improve this trait. However, further information on the heritability of the trait is needed..