Science Letters

Investigation of Different Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) Hybrids for Yield and Other Associated Traits under Climatic Conditions of Dera Ghazi Khan

Muhammad Ihsan Ullah *1, Zaib-Un-Nisa 1, Barkat Ali 1, Muhammad Atif Muneer 2,3, Muhammad Zeeshan Munir 2,4, Muhammad Imran 2,3, Saima Adil 5

1 Sorghum Research Sub-Station, Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, Pakistan

2 Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

3 Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China

4 School of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China

5 Department of Life Sciences, Islamia University, Bahawalpur, Pakistan

Abstract

Eight sorghum hybrids with one check variety were evaluated for grain yield and other associated traits at sorghum research sub-station, Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, Pakistan in 2013. The results revealed that sorghum hybrids differed significantly for grain yield, stalk yield, plant height, days to 50% flowering and maturity. Among hybrids, YSH-95, YSH-111, and YSH-28 produced higher grain yield (i.e. 4.667, 4.267 and 4.244 tons/ha, respectively) than other hybrids tested. Hybrids YSH-95 and YSH-33 produced higher stalk yield of 43.2 and 37 tons/ha, respectively. Sorghum hybrids YSH-75 and YSH-114 took maximum 73 days to 50% flowering, while the hybrids YSH-113 took minimum 64 days to 50% flowering. The hybrids YSH-111 and YSH-28 showed earliness in maturity as 108 days and 110 days were taken to get maturity, respectively. Maximum plant height of 253 cm was prominent for YSH-95, while minimum plant height of 158 cm was noticed for YSH-36. It is concluded that YSH-95 is potentially superior in producing higher grain and stalk yield. The implication of these results in the context of adaptation to prevailing weather could be an interesting/resourceful option for farmers.

Keywords Grain yield, hybrids, screening, sorghum, stalk yield.

Received June 21, 2016 Accepted August 19, 2016 Abstract Published October 12, 2016 Manuscript Published December 15, 2016

*Corresponding author Muhammad Ihsan Ullah E-mail ihsan7447@yahoo.com