sorghum seed production

2. Seed production of sorghum
Family: Gramineae (Poaceae)
Genus:Sorghum
Species: bicolor (L.) Moench
Chromosome No.: 2n=20
Common names : Sorghum (Eng.) Jowar (India), graansorghum (Afr); mabele (Pedi, Sotho, Ndebele); amabele (Z) amazimba
(Xhosa). Other names : Durra, Egyptian Millet, Feterita, Guinea Corn, Jowar, Juwar, k
It is the forth in importance among the world's cereals, coming after wheat rice and maize. It grows in the tropics and
subtropics. In India it is known as Jowar. Height generally varies from 40-600 cm (Fig. 8.2). It's stem has 7-18 nodes and
internodes. Sorghum is grown in three seasons:
1. Kharif season during monsoon i.e. from June-July to September
2. Winter season i.e. from September to February it is 35% of the total sorghum hectarage at national level.affir corn, Milo,
Shallu and Sudan Grass.
3. Summer sorghum planted from February to June under irrigation.

3. Two types of spikelets
1)Sterile (pedicilate)
2)Sessile

6. 3. Summer sorghum planted
from February to June
under irrigation.

7. • The latest classification was done by Harlan and De Wet (1972). Five basic races of
sorghum based on coverage of glumes:
1. Bicolor (B): Grain elongate, glumes clasping the grain which may be completely
covered or ¼ exposed.
• 2. Guinea (G): Grains flattened
• 3. Caudatum(C): Grains asymmetrical, glumes 1/2 the length of the grain.
• 4. Kaffir (K): Grains symmetrical (spherical), glumes clasping in varying length.
• 5. Durra (D): Grains rounded, wedge shaped at the base and broadest slightly above the
middle; glumes very wide.

10. • Nucleus seed. It is the initial handful of seed originated through selection/breeding by the breeder. It is the only
class of seed, which is regenerated from itself and is produced in very small quantities under the supervision of the
originating breeder or a designated qualified breeder. The varietal purity of subsequently multiplied breeder seed,
foundation seed and certified seed depends on the purity of nucleus seed and therefore, it must be produced with
utmost care. Sorghum is predominantly a self pollinated crop, which suffers little inbreeding depression. However,
outcrossing to an extent of 5 to 25% (House 1985) does occur depending on the climatic conditions and the
genotype/panicle type (compact or loose). The availability of stable cytoplasmic-nuclear male-sterility (CMS) in
sorghum (Stephens and Holland 1954) also makes it possible to develop hybrids for commercial cultivation. Three
lines, seed parent/male-sterile line/A-line, maintainer/ B-line (to maintain A-line) and restorer/R-line to restore
fertility in the hybrids when the A-line is crossed with the R-line, are required. Both varieties and hybrid parental
lines are theoretically pure lines and should be easy to maintain; however, sometimes due to factors beyond the
breeder’s control such as chance out-crossings, rare mutations and mechanical admixtures, a variety or parental
line deteriorates and therefore, requires needed maintenance to conform to its designated characteristic features at
least once every four to five years

11. • Breeder seed. Breeder seed is produced from nucleus seed in small quantities on experiment stations by the
sponsoring breeder under his direct supervision. The organization sponsoring cultivar release has the responsibility for
the supply and safe storage of breeder seed. Sponsored breeders can also produce breeder seedIn such cases, the
originating breeder supplies the breeder seed to different institutions such as agricultural universities, central and state
research institutions, and other recognized/sponsored organizations. The breeder seed required for national varieties in
India is arranged through the Department of Agriculture and the National Seeds Corporation Limited, Government of
India. The breeder seed for state varieties is produced by breeders of the states concerned. Breeder seed plots are
monitored by a team consisting of breeders, representatives of the State Seed Certification Agency (SSCA) and the
seed producing agency. Breeder seed production of hybrid sorghum involves the production of A-, B- and R-lines.
Seed production of B- and R-lines is similar to that of any pureline variety. The production of breeder seed is
expensive with an associated risk of contamination by repeated multiplication and of loss due to adverse production
conditions. Therefore, the quantity of breeder seed required for about 3 to 4 years is produced by the breeder and
deposited in cold storage. Highest standards of genetic purity must be maintained in the production of breeder seed
since it is the base material for all further multiplication. Breeder seed might be produced under such controlled
conditions as selfing by bagging if the requirement is small. Otherwise, it should be carried out under isolation.. The
breeder provides small quantities of breeder seed of the varieties and A-, B- and R-lines to foundation seed producers.
The breeder also provides complete and accurate description of all distinguishing morphological and seed characters
of the varieties, and A-, B- and R-lines, in case of hybrids, because the certification process depends upon these
descriptions. The experiment station sponsoring the release of the hybrids trains the technical staff involved in the
production and certification of hybrid seed and familiarizes them in the identification of distinguishing characters of
the parents and the hybrid. The procedures for breeder seed production of hybrid parents and varieties are described
below.

12. Breeder and foundation seed stage : Multiplication of male sterile line or maintenance of A and B
line
Certified seed stage : A x R – F1 hybrid produced. Certified seed stage : Production of hybrid seed
Popular hybrids of their parents: The first hybrid (CSH 1) was released in 1964.
In 1969, the Coordinated Sorghum Improvement Project was established. Now
there are more than 30 hybrids. Some popular are
CSH1 CK 60 A x IS 84
CSH5 2077A x CS3541
CSH 9 MS 296 A x CS 3541
COH2 2219A x IS3541(Kovilpatti Tall)
COH3 2077A x CO21
COH4 296A x TNS30
CSH 13 R 296 A x RS 29
CSH 14 AKMS 14A x AKR 150
CSH 16 27 A x C 43
CSH 15 (R) 104 A x R 585
CSH 17 AKMS 14A x RS 673

13. Stages of seed multiplication : Breeder seed – foundation seed –
certified seed.
Foundation seed production : A and B line are raised in 4:2
ratio with 4 rows of B line as border
row and allowed for cross pollination.
The seeds from A line will be collected
as A line seeds (multiplied).
Certified seed production : Hybrid seed production
Commercial in Hybrid seed production techniques
Isolation distance
FS CS
Normal 200 100
On presence of Johnson grass 400 400
On presence of forage sorghum 400 200
Hybrids 300 200

14. • Seeds and sowing
• Seed rate : A line : 8 kg ha-1
• R line : 4 kg ha-1
• Spacing : A line : 45 x 30cm
• R line : 45 x solid row spacing.
• Planting ratio : Foundation seed stage: 4:2 (A: B)
• Certified seed stage : 5.2 (A:R)
• Border rows : 4 rows of male (either B or R line)
• to, supply adequate pollen.
• Live markers : • Live plants used for identification of
• male line live markers are used.
• It should have distinguishable

15. • Manures and Fertilizers
• Compost : 12.5 t / ha
• NPK : 100:50:50 kg ha-1
• Basal : 50:50:5 kg ha-1
• Top dressing : 25kg N after last ploughing
• 25kg N after boot leaf stage (45 days)
• Synchronization technique
• 1. Staggered sowing: Sowing of male parent and female parents are adjusted in
• such a way that both parents come to flowering at the same time.
• CSH-5, MS 2077 A must be sown 10-15 days earlier to the male CS 3541,
• CSH 6, the female parent MS 2219 A can be sown simultaneously with CS 3541
• CSH 9, the female parent MS 296 A must be sown 7-10 days earlier than male
• CS 3541 in November- December season.
• 2. Spraying growth retardent MH 500 ppm at 45 DAS, delays flowering in
• advancing parent. MH wont dissolve in water and hence dissolve it in NaOH and
• then mix with water.
• 3. Urea spraying 1% to the lagging parent.
• 4. Withhold one irrigation to the advancing parent.
• 5. Spraying CCC 300 ppm will delay flowering.

16. • Types of contamination
• Presence of B line in A line called as pollen shedders
• Presence of A line in Bline called as off type
• Presence of R line in B line called as rogue
• Presence of B line in B line called as rogue
• Presence of B line in Rline called as rogue
• Presence of B line in R line called as rogue
• Pollen shedders and off type cause physical contamination, whereas, rogue
• cause physical and genetical contamination.
• Pollen shedders
• Presence of B line plants in A line are called pollen shedders.
• Partials

17. • In certain A line plants, a part of the earhead-shed pollen due to the removal
• of sterility due to parental impurity (or) developmental variation or temperature.
• Field Standards
• Isolation distance
FS CS
• Offtypes (max) 0.05 0.10
• Hybrids 0.05 0.10
• Pollen shedders 0.05 0.10
(Ergot and smut) 0.05 0.10
• Method of harvesting
• Male and female lines should be harvested separately. The male rows are
• harvested first and transported to separate threshing floor. Like that female rows
• are harvested and threshed separately.