English

Abstract

Sorghum is the fifth most important cereal crop and occupies the second position among the staple food grains in semi-arid tropics. The adaptation of grain sorghum to a wide range of environmental conditions has led to the evolution and existence of extensive genetic variation for drought tolerance. Accordingly, sorghum is expected to play an increasingly important role in agriculture and meeting world food demand in the face of climate change, land degradation and increasing water scarcity. The crop requires relatively less water than other important cereals such as maize and wheat. However, yield potential of the crop is significantly limited due to drought and heat stresses. Drought is one of the most important factors that affect crop production worldwide and continues to be a challenge to plant breeders, despite many decades of research. Underestimating the different mechanisms underlying drought tolerance is vital for the breeding to alleviate adverse effects of drought in order to boost productivity. In this literature review, the main effects of drought on crop growth and development, and yield are reported.