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Sorghum Improvement in the New Millennium

OAR@ICRISAT

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Relation http://oar.icrisat.org/2160/
 
Title Sorghum Improvement in the New Millennium
 
Subject Sorghum
 
Description Sorghum is one of the most important cereal crops in the semi-arid tropics (SAT) of Asia,
Africa and Latin America. Traditionally, it is grown for food, feed and fodder needs and of
late it is emerging as an important bioenergy crop. Sorghum production is constrained by
several biotic and abiotic stresses depending on the production environment. Although
it is predominantly self-pollinated, the discovery of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) and
genetic male-sterility (GMS) has enabled easy cross-pollination in sorghum. The case
of pollination control in sorghum has become a boon for sorghum researchers, thus
enabling development of both pure-line varieties (as in self-pollinated crops) and hybrids
and open-pollinated populations (as in cross-pollinated crops). Genetic enhancement
of sorghum for economic traits per se and plant defense traits that stabilize the crop
performance requires thorough knowledge about different end uses, nature and
intensity of different production stresses, and sound theoretical and applied knowledge
of genetic and crop breeding principles. Rapid progress in biotechnology research
has provided powerful tools to sorghum researchers, which complement conventional
crop improvement efforts to develop desired products. Production of pure and high
quality seeds of genetically improved cultivars and their delivery to the target farmers in
required quantities at the right time is the key for achieving high productivity in farmers’
fields. The 32 chapters contributed by 37 specialists in this book is based on a joint
training course on a range of topics including importance of sorghum, pollination control
mechanisms, phenology of crop growth, germplasm diversity and utilization, genetic
male sterility (GMS) and cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) systems and their utilization,
development of CMS-based male sterile lines (seed parents) and their fertility restorer
lines (R-lines), development of GMS facilitated open-pollinated populations, heterosis
theories and their harnessing, techniques to screen insect pests and diseases, seed
production principles and practices, alternative uses of sorghum, linking producers and
processors. This book serves as a valuable resource and will be of significant interest
to those working on sorghum improvement.
 
Publisher International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
 
Contributor Reddy, B V S
Ramesh, S
Ashok Kumar, A
Gowda, C L L
 
Date 2008
 
Type Book
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
Rights —
 
Identifier http://oar.icrisat.org/2160/1/139_2008_BOE48_Sorghum_Imp_Millennium.pdf
Reddy, B V S and Ramesh, S and Ashok Kumar, A and Gowda, C L L, eds. (2008) Sorghum Improvement in the New Millennium. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, India. ISBN 978-92-9066-512-0