Sorghum improvement (1980–2010): Status and way forward

Abstract

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is the fifth most important
\ncereal crop globally and is the dietary staple of more than
\n500 million people in over 90 countries, primarily in the
\ndeveloping world (Reddy et al. 2010). With its C4
\nphotosynthetic pathway, it is adapted to a wide range of
\nenvironmental conditions. It has multiple uses as a food,
\nfeed, fodder, fuel and fiber crop (Paterson et al. 2009).
\nMore than 35 percent of world sorghum production is
\ngoing for food consumption (Awika and Rooney 2004)
\nby the poorest of the poor in the largely low-income
\ndeficit countries. Worldwide, it is grown on about 40
\nmillion ha, of which about 9 million ha are cultivated in
\nAsia; of this the largest area is in India (7.53 milion ha)
\nwhich has a production of 7.25 million t (FAOSTAT
\n2011).