Breeding strategies to improve sorghum quality

Abstract

Sorghum is an important grain crop grown for human consumption worldwide. The crop is classified into various races with the wild and cultivated sorghums included. The cultivated sorghums have a great phenotypic diversity which breeders can exploit for further improvement. The exploitation of the genetic diversity requires effective characterization of the genetic pool. The genotypes can be characterized using morphological, molecular markers, and analysis of nutritional quality traits. Characterization is performed with the purpose of sourcing new genes for crop improvement to combat hunger and malnutrition in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Attempts were made to improve sorghum protein quality through mutation and genetic engineering but information on the use of classical breeding methods to improve sorghum protein quality and the combining ability of parental lines for improved pro tein quality is still limited. The effects of gene action on sorghum for yield and protein quality are essential for researchers and plant breeders for their breeding programmes aiming to develop hybrids and for further genetic improvement. Moreover, outcomes of nutritional quality studies are of paramount importance to scientists in various research disciplines. This article reviews the characterisation, combining ability and efforts for improving sorghum protein quality.

Assessing Suitability of Sorghum to Alleviate Sub-Saharan Nutritional Deficiencies through the Nutritional Water Productivity Index in Semi-Arid Regions

“…Study results suggest that sorghum can provide up to a quarter of the protein RDA for human consumption, with relatively lower RDA contribution by landraces compared to improved genotypes. The relatively higher protein content in the Macia open-pollinated variety (OPV) and PAN8816 hybrid are due to breeding and biofortification efforts for high protein content in improved genotypes [ 28 ]. Sorghum landraces are mainly grown and consumed by resource-poor farmers in arid and semi-arid regions as a staple food crop without selection for improved protein content, which makes the selection of landrace cultivars with high ‘protein nutrition per drop’ critical for this food and nutritionally vulnerable group.…”

Understanding biodiversity in sorghums to support the development of high value bio-based products in sub-Saharan Africa

“…Sorghum is a gluten-free cereal that can serve as an alternative to wheat for people with celiac disease (Schaffert et al, 2012). In the developed countries sorghum was primarily used a feed crop but now there is growing demand for gluten free food products (Mofokeng et al, 2017). The lack in Vitamin A in diets causes blindness especially in children.…”

The use of the Ugandan initial grain sorghum forms in the hybridization of the sorghum varieties for forage and food

“…An increase in the distance between a flag leaf and a panicle results in foliage mass decrease in the grain during combine harvesting and reduces its moisture. In addition to morphological traits in agricultural crop breeding, attention should be paid to biochemical indicators that determine the feed and nutritional values of grain, such as protein and starch [14,15].…”