Performance Evaluation of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) Genotypes for Lowland Areas of Eastern Amhara, Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract Sorghum is an important food security crop in Ethiopia. As the grain is preferred for food the biomass is equally important for farmers to use it as animal food. It is a major crop in lowland parts of eastern Amhara as the environment of the area best fits for the crop. The study was conducted with the objective of identifying high yielder and adaptable sorghum varieties for moisture deficit areas of eastern Amhara region. Eleven sorghum genotypes including two checks were evaluated at eight different environments of four locations namely; Sirinka, Jari, Chefa and Shewarobit within two years in 2016 and 2017 under rain feed condition. The experiment was implemented using a randomized complete block design (RCB) with three replications. The combined analysis of variance over years and across locations revealed highly significant difference (p < 0.01) among genotype for all traits. Genotype × year × environment interaction was non-significant except for plant height. The smallest days to maturity recoded by G8 (125.8 days) while G11 took more number of days to mature (132.9 days). G8 also recorded the highest panicle/head weight (4.56 tonha-1) whereas G11 recorded the lowest head weight (2.7 tonha-1). Genotypes ranged from 2.363 tonha-1 for G11 to 3.95 tonha-1 for G8 in grain yield. As the highest grain yield (3.95 tonha-1) was obtained by genotype G8 (Sima) while that of standard and local checks were 3.1 tonha-1 and 2.67 tonha-1, respectively. Thus, G8 (Sima) was found superior over the rest of the tested sorghum genotypes and it has 47.4% and 27.29% yield advantages over local and standard check, respectively. As a result G8 (Sima) was selected, verified and officially released for its early maturing and high yielding in 2019 by the name of Kalu for production in moisture deficit areas of eastern Amhara region and similar agro ecologies of the country.