Genetic Variability Analysis of Elite Sorghum (Sorghum Bicolor (L.) Moench) Genotypes under Dry Lowland Areas of Ethiopia

Narrow genetic base, early maturing and drought tolerant Sorghum genotypes are the most important limiting factors for Sorghum yield improvement under moisture stress areas. Therefore, the experiment was conducted to quantify the genetic variation available among Sorghum genotypes for drought tolerance related traits. A total of 42 Sorghum genotypes were evaluated using alpha lattice experimental design with two replications at Mieso and Kobo during the main cropping season of 2019. The combined analyses of variance revealed the presence of substantial genetic variation among Sorghum genotypes for all the studied traits over locations. Among the traits with high genotypic coefficient of variation and heritability estimate, plant height, panicle exersion and panicle yield were linked with higher values of genetic advance as percentage of mean, reflecting the variability of these traits is controlled by additive gene action. The high heritability and genetic advance as percent of mean were obtained for plant height (95.63% and 45.39%), 1000 seed weight (77.98% and 23.86%), panicle exertion (74.87% and 51.88%) and panicle yield (65.43% and 37.32%) in the same order. The maximum grain yield was obtained from a hybrid 4 × 14 (6.32 tha^-1) followed by hybrid 8 × 15 (5.92 tha^-1), 1 × 15 (5.88 tha^-1), 13 × 14 (5.78 tha^-1) and 6 × 15 (5.57 tha^-1) with the average value of 5.00 tha^-1 which had higher mean value than the mean of the parents and the check (ESH-4). Hence hybrids have been found to be better suited than their parents and open pollinated variety to drought stress environments as a result of earliness, better adaptation and yield performance. In general, this study showed the existence of genetic variability in Sorghum genotypes for different traits grown under moisture stress condition, providing opportunity to select several promising genotypes with key traits related to drought tolerance.

Author(s): Temesgen Begna*

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