Yield of Photoperiod‐sensitive Sorghum Hybrids Based on Guinea‐race Germplasm under Farmers’ Field Conditions in Mali

• Published in: Crop science 2013-11, Vol.53 (6), p.2454-2461
• Main Authors: Rattunde, H.F.W., Weltzien, E., Diallo, B., Diallo, A.G., Sidibe, M., Touré, A.O., Rathore, A., Das, R.R., Leiser, W.L., Touré, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Crop science; Crop yield; Cultivars; Farmers; Food security; Food supply; Genetic diversity; Germplasm; Hybrids; Seeds; Sorghum
• ISSN: 0011-183X; 1435-0653
• DOI: 10.2135/cropsci2013.03.0182

ABSTRACT The first sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] hybrids based on West African Guinea‐race‐derived parents were created to enhance farmer's food security and income through increased yields. To assess their performance, eight hybrids, six experimental pure‐line cultivars, one pure‐line check (Lata), and a highly adapted landrace cultivar (Tieble) were evaluated in 27 farmer‐managed and two on‐station yield trials in Mali, West Africa, from 2009 to 2011. The hybrids were confirmed to have photoperiod sensitivity similar to the well‐adapted Guinea landrace check cultivar. Genotypic differences for on‐farm grain yield were highly significant and genotype × environment crossover interactions were limited. The yield superiorities of individual hybrids, relative to the landrace check, ranged from 17 to 37% over the 27 on‐farm trials. The three top yielding hybrids showed 30% yield advantages across productivity levels, with absolute yield advantages averaging 380 kg ha−1 under lower (1.0–1.5 t ha−1) and 660 kg ha−1 under higher (2.0–3.5 t ha−1) productivity conditions. A mean male‐parent (better parent) heterosis of 26% was observed for the four hybrids having Lata as a male parent. As the hybrids studied here were obtained with a low intensity of selection using a limited number of parents, even greater yield superiorities may be attained with development of distinct parental pools and scaled‐up hybrid breeding.