Correlation and path coefficient analysis of agronomic and quality traits in a bioenergy crop, sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]

Abstract

Sweet sorghum is considered one of the best sources of bioethanol due to its higher total reducing sugar content, which ferments completely to produce ethanol coupled with its adaptation to the changing climate. A study was carried out in Ethiopia, during the 2015/16 crop season, to determine the extent of phenotypic and genotypic relationships among 13 agronomic traits and six quality components of 28 sweet sorghum genotypes. Panicle weight and width, dry matter yield, thousand kernel weight and harvest index had significant positive correlation with grain yield and exerted favourable direct effects both at phenotypic and genotypic levels. Ethanol yield was also correlated with juice yield, sugar yield and fresh stalk yield. Therefore, these yield and quality components are suggested to receive due attention during sweet sorghum varietal selection. Moreover, days to maturity had negative correlation and imposed negative direct effect on grain yield, which may indicate the possibility to select high yielding, early maturing dual purpose varieties for dry environments where terminal drought is rampant. The studied genotypes were grouped into three clusters according to their D 2 values, worthy of future breeding work considering the special merits in each cluster depending on the objectives of the breeding program. Some of the genotypes excelled as one of the two commercial sugarcane varieties used as controls for some quality traits. Therefore, considering their less water requirement, faster production cycle, and additional advantage of grain production over sugarcane, sweet sorghum stalks can serve as alternatives to sugarcane for use as feedstock in drier areas of the world under the changing climate.Key words: Bioethanol, correlation, juice, path-coefficient, sweet sorghum. INTRODUCTIONSorghum's ability to withstand drought and heat stresses and to give reasonable yields under adverse *Corresponding author. E-mail: asfaw123@rediffmail.com.Author ( environmental conditions have raised its importance as a food security and bioenergy crop in arid and semi-arid tropics. In stress environments, pearl millet and sorghum are the dominant crops and receive fewer agricultural inputs than any other major cereals (McGuire, 2008). Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is a natural variant of common grain sorghum with high stem sugar content, which can offer both food and fuel. The sugar content in the stalk juice of sweet sorghum reaches 10 to 25% at grain maturity (Pei et al., 2010). This sugar in the juice can be used to produce table sugar, syrup, wine or biofuel. The bagasse is used as forage or as raw material for the paper industry (Koeppen et al., 2009). Sweet sorghum ensures food and feed security and provides opportunities for additional income for small farmers serving as a feedstock for bioethanol production while protecting the environment (Almodare and Hadi, 2009). It requires 37% less nitrogen fertilizer and 17% less irrigation water than maize, and could yield more ethanol than maize during a dry year (Hills et...

Correlation and Path Coefficient Analysis of Quantitative in Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] Genotypes at Fedis, Eastern Ethiopia

“…Similarly, Khadakabhavi et al (2017) reported high significant and positive significant associations of panicle length with panicle weight for genotypic and phenotypic correlation. Chalachew et al (2017) observed a positive correlation of harvest index with panicle weight. Genotypic correlation coefficients were relatively higher in magnitude than that phenotypic correlation coefficient in most cases, which indicated the presence of inherent association among considered traits.…”

Seed germination of seeds preserved for about 20 years and that of seeds preserved for several years

“…There are several reports about genetic diversity, germplasm or seed of plant (Admas and Tesfaye, 2017;Ali et al, 2018;Arantes et al, 2018;Chalachew et al, 2017;Chandra et al, 2017;Daniel et al, 2017;Dilooshi et al, 2016;Santos et al, 2017;Ejigu et al, 2018;Emmanuel et al, 2018;Isaac et al, 2016;Lopez-Puc and Rodriguez-Buenfil, 2017;Revolti et al, 2018;Miccah et al, 2016;Mohammad et al, 2016;Mounawer et al, 2016;Mulima et al, 2018;Ochieng et al, 2015;Pacôme et al, 2016;Raimundo et al, 2015;Rodrigues et al, 2016;Tadesse et al, 2018;Titilayo et al, 2018;Zerihun et al, 2018), fungi (Edelvio, 2018;Ling et al, 2016;Shubha and Srinivas, 2017), bacteria (Chaohe et al, 2015;Paul et al, 2016), and virus (Chikoti et al, 2015).…”