Breeding grain sorghum to increase the range of grain forage crops in the arid regions of Russia

Relevance. Due to the aridization of the climate in many regions of Russia, the cultivation of drought-resistant crops for various feed production industries has become particularly important. Among these crops, grain sorghum, with its unique drought tolerance and versatility, is an essential component of animal feed. Therefore, the development of improved varieties and hybrids of grain sorghum with high grain and biomass productivity is highly relevant.

Methods. The research material included 8 varieties, 3 productive promising breeding lines, and a grain sorghum hybrid. The research was conducted at the experimental field of the Russian Research Institute of Sorghum and Corn 2021–2023. The standard was the regionally adapted grain sorghum variety Start. The evaluation of economic and valuable traits was conducted according to the methodology of state variety testing for agricultural crops and generally accepted recommendations.

Results. Valuable samples were identified that significantly exceeded the Start standard variety in terms of morphometric indicators and productivity elements, resulting in increased grain and biomass yields. Eleven samples with grain yields of 4.40–6.63 t/ha were selected, exceeding the standard by 9.2–64.5%. Five varieties and two lines, L-50/14 and L-65/14, significantly exceeded the standard in terms of biomass yield by 27.9–57.9%, while the Tamarazh hybrid exceeded the standard by 88.9%. Seven samples with the highest bioenergy value of grain were identified, with the L-65/14 line standing out at 99.83 GJ/ha, the RSK Korall variety at 108.40 GJ/ha, and the Tamarazh hybrid at 122.46 GJ/ha, which is 31.6–61.5% higher than the standard. New high-energy varieties of grain sorghum bred by the Rossorgo Institute were included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements in 2019–2024 and are in demand among domestic agricultural producers. 

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