SSR marker analysis of plant height in sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench

Abstract

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is one of the most promising bio-energy crops with the ability to produce high biomass with low input. Plant height that has a significant contribution to gain in bio-ethanol production is among the most important biomass yield components. In the present study, sorghum genotypes were screened with four SSR markers which are associated with plant height QTLs. The molecular assays were confirmed with two different environments in two consecutive years. In the first year of the study, molecular analyses were performed with a sorghum collection consisting of 551 accessions as well as plant height measurements were performed under field condition. In the second year, 53 out of 551 accessions were selected and further tests with nine controls were performed in Antalya (a lowland province) and Konya (a highland province) locations along with molecular marker analyses. The results indicated that four SSR markers efficiency were assessed as 38% at lowland and 39% at highland. Markers 40-9187 and 37-1740 were of more powerful to explain plant height QTLs than the other two markers at two environments. This study reported the successful application of the association between markers and plant height in two environments to identify valuable genetic resources for bio-energy production in sweet sorghum.