Physical Measurements and Improvement Methods of Protein and Other Nutritional Quality Traits of Sorghum [ Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench

Abstract

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench] is the fifth most important cereal crop and is a primary food and feed crop in Africa, especially in the dry land regions. This crop is drought tolerant and can be grown in semi-arid conditions where maize, wheat, and rice cannot be grown because of water scarcity. The nutrient content of sorghum grain is generally similar to other cereal grains. However, studies have revealed poor protein quality of sorghum foods because sorghum protein is deficient in lysine. Besides being a staple food crop in the semi-arid regions of the world, sorghum is also used for feed, traditional beverages, fuel, construction material, confection (sweet sorghums), brooms, as well as for making sugar, syrup and molasses. Sorghum is basically composed of starch, which is more slowly digested than that of other cereals, has low digestibility proteins and unsaturated lipids, and is a source of some minerals and vitamins. Therefore exploration of the available genetic variation in landraces and improved cultivars for chemical and physical grain attributes and their association with end-uses, such as injera quality, would require the screening of germplasm for quality characteristics before subsequent inclusion in breeding programs.