Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Genetics and Breeding Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #267078
Title: Evaluation of sweet sorghum germplasm for the southeast

Author
item Anderson, William - Bill
item Ni, Xinzhi
item Davis, Richard
item Knoll, Joseph - Joe

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/25/2011
Publication Date: 10/20/2011
Citation: Anderson, W.F., Ni, X., Davis, R.F., Knoll, J.E. 2011. Evaluation of sweet sorghum germplasm for the southeast. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Meetings, San Antonio, TX, Oct 16-20, 2011. CDRom.

Interpretive Summary: not required

Technical Abstract: Sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] has become a favorable biofuel feedstock for ethanol production. Among the essential traits for successful production and use of sweet sorghum in Southeastern United States for renewable fuel are high biomass, high BRIX, lodging resistance, as well as resistance to fall armyworm [Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)], anthracnose (Colletotrichum sp.) and nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita ). In the present study, 116 sweet sorghum inbred and hybrid lines were evaluated for these traits. Maturity, plant height, BRIX, fall armyworm damage, and anthracnose occurrence were evaluated in the field. Fall armyworm injury, maturity and anthracnose disease were assessed using a visual rating scale; plant height was measured in meters; and BRIX values were measured 90 d after each planting. A preliminary screen of genotypes for susceptibility to M. incognita nematode was conducted in the greenhouse using corn as a susceptible standard. Among selected inbreds, entries PI 146890, PI 641807 and PI 653411 from GRIN had the lowest fall armyworm injury ratings (< 3) and favorable values of four other parameters. In contrast, hybrids 84-5578 ATx 625 , 84-5580 BTx 625, and inbred PI 196584 had the some of highest fall armyworm injury ratings (> 4.5). PI 155336, PI 583832, and Topper were moderately resistant to anthracnose. Nematode reproduction varied greatly among the sorghum genotypes and ranged from negligible to high: Pf/Pi (final count/inoculum level) from 0.1 to 22.6 with 21 genotypes allowing nematode reproduction similar to corn, the susceptible standard. Numerous inbred lines could contribute as parents for improved production and resistance in a breeding program for the Southeast.