Registration of Tx3489 and Tx3490 sorghum germplasm with enhanced popping attributes

Abstract

AbstractSorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] germplasm lines Tx3489 (Reg. no. GP‐943, PI 698649) and Tx3490 (Reg. no GP‐944, PI 698650) with yellow seed, favorable agronomics, and popping attributes in hybrid combinations were developed by the Texas A&M AgriLife Research sorghum breeding and genetics program in 2020. Compared with a grain sorghum hybrid check, these lines produced hybrids with similar agronomic performance and superior popping performance. In hybrid combinations, the two lines produced hybrids comparable to the agronomic productivity of standard grain sorghum hybrids. Additionally, these two lines produced hybrids with 84 and 78% popping efficiency, 9:1 and 7.4:1 expansion ratios and 0.35‐ and 0.34‐cm3 flake sizes. In contrast, the check hybrid produced grain with 74% popping efficiency, 6.3:1 expansion ratio and a 0.25‐cm3 flake. Ultimately these two lines produce grain sorghum hybrids with comparable agronomic productivity and superior popping performance. While these lines can be used as pollinator parents to produce grain sorghum hybrids for popping, they may also be a parent for the development of new pop sorghum parental lines.