Concurrent Improvement of Stem Sugar, Stover and Grain Yield in Sudanese and Exotic Sorghums I: Identification of Materials

Aims: To identify materials combining high levels of stem sugar, grain and stover yields in local and exotic sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) genotypes.

Methodology: 28 genotypes arranged in three replicated Alpha lattice design and evaluated for stem juice, grain and stover yields and related traits.

Results: The exotic materials showed high potential for sugar yield than the local ones. Blue-ribbon and Red-x demonstrated the best joint performance for brix, extractability, grain, and stover yields. Ank.36 (Ankolib selection) and S.158 (Abu Sabin selection) were the best among local materials in joint performance for extractability and brix showing moderate potential for sugar yield during the summer season. Kambal (Abu Sabin selection) showed the best juice yield among the local materials but suffered from low brix and juice extractability. Some of the local genotypes performed better than the exotic materials during summer in grain, stover and cane yields whereas the opposite is true during the winter season.

Conclusion: The local Ankolib population needs to be improved for juice extractability and cane yield before being used for bioenergy production. The future research work should focus on improving the local materials by hybridization with the exotic ones to transfer traits related to high sugar yield.