The Races of Sorghum in Nigeria: their Distribution and Relative Importance

Abstract

Summary Sorghum is the principal foodcrop grown in Northern Nigeria. A survey of local varieties grown during the rains was carried out in 1958 and the 821 samples collected were assigned to seven morphologically distinct races, of which four are important. Varieties belonging to the Guinea race, with loose, open panicles, are mainly cultivated in high rainfall areas south of latitude 11°30′N. Further north, three races, Kaura, Farafara and Chad are grown in the dry Sudan Savanna zone. Varieties of these races have compact panicles and bulging grains. Estimates of the contribution made by each of the four major races indicate that the Guinea race accounts for nearly 50 per cent of the total sorghum production in Northern Nigeria.