Characterization of Improved Sweet Sorghum Cultivars

Abstract

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein.

New sources of sorghum resistant genotypes to downy mildew disease in Uganda

“…Besides the consumption and industrial uses of sorghum grain, the crop residues and green plants also provide sources of animal feed, building material, fuel for cooking, particularly in dryland areas. It is agronomically suited to hot and dryland growing areas in a temperature range of 12-37 ºC where other cereal crops will fail to thrive or yield substantially (Rao and Kumar 2013). The production of sorghum is challenged by several diseases of which sorghum downy mildew (SDM) is one of the most destructive which greatly reduces the productivity of the crop (Frederiksen 2000) and is reported to be endemic in Uganda (Kumi et al2018a).…”

Contributions of African Crops to American Culture and Beyond: The Slave Trade and Other Journeys of Resilient Peoples and Crops

“…Sorghum (Figure 12A) is the world's fifth most important cereal crop, and grows in dry regions of every continent, but was domesticated in Central Eastern Sudan more than 5,000 years ago with thousands of years of continuous archaeological evidence discovered in Egyptian Nubia at Qasr Ibrim (Winchell et al, 2017;Smith et al, 2019) (Figure 1). After sorghum arrived to the United States via the slave trade, the crop was heavily cultivated to be processed into sugar and molasses in the mid 1850s (Winberry, 1980;Rao et al, 2013). Sweet sorghum, in contrast to grain sorghum, refers to cultivated varieties with juicy and sweet stalks useful for syrup production (Rao et al, 2013); it was indirectly adopted into the cuisine of slaves.…”

“…After sorghum arrived to the United States via the slave trade, the crop was heavily cultivated to be processed into sugar and molasses in the mid 1850s (Winberry, 1980;Rao et al, 2013). Sweet sorghum, in contrast to grain sorghum, refers to cultivated varieties with juicy and sweet stalks useful for syrup production (Rao et al, 2013); it was indirectly adopted into the cuisine of slaves. Slaves used molasses to sweeten meals such as candied yams or porridge, or to make pulled candy; however access to molasses was dependent on the amenities of the slave owner's kitchen (Yentsch, 2008;Mitchell, 2009).…”

“…Research over the last two decades has supported the development of this crop in order to maximize its agronomic potential, both in feeding the world and in counteracting climate change. For example, the diversity in sorghum genetics has led to the development of resistance to striga (a parasitic weed), pests and disease (including bird pests), biofortification (particularly of vitamin A), tannin-free genotypes and improved protein quality, along with tolerance to cold, heat shock, and drought in both commercial and traditional sorghum varieties (Rao et al, 2013;Akinseye et al, 2017;Reddy, 2017). Currently, sorghum is a staple food source for more than 500 million humans, and a critical source of feed and fodder for animals, in more than 30 countries around the world (Akinseye et al, 2017).…”