Postrainy season sorghum: Constraints and breeding approaches

Abstract

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is the fifth most important
\ncereal crop in the world. Different types of sorghum are
\nrecognized. These are: grain sorghum, dual purpose
\n(grain and fodder) sorghum, fodder sorghum, forage
\nsorghum and sweet stalk sorghum. Also two types of
\nsorghums are noted based on the season of adaptation;
\nthese are rainy (wet) season or postrainy (dry) season
\nsorghum. There are two distinct sorghum growing
\nseasons in India, kharif (rainy season; June–October) and
\nrabi (postrainy season; October–January). In India, the
\ngrain productivity is about 1.2 t ha-1 in the rainy season,
\nand about 0.8 t ha-1 in the postrainy season whereas the
\nglobal grain productivity of sorghum is 1.4 t ha-1
\n(FAOSTAT 2011). The grain sorghum requirements for
\nthese two seasonal adaptations are quite diverse due to
\ndifferent agroclimatic conditions (Rana et al. 1997).
\nThere has been a significant decline in area under grain
\nand dual purpose sorghum during the rainy season due to
\ngrain molds, but the area has remained stable in the
\npostrainy season where mostly dual purpose sorghums
\nare cultivated.