JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

Identification of easily measured physiological traits contributing to yield under specified environmental conditions would benefit genotypic selection for grain sorghum. A field experiment was conducted to determine broad-sense heritability and expected genetic advance, and to examine the relationships of grain yield with 11 physiological traits related to developmental periods, vegetative growth, growth rate, grain filling rate, and partitioning to the grain.

Sorghum genotypes exhibited significant differences for all traits, except for grain yield. Broad-sense heritability estimates ranged from a low of 49.6 (for grain filling rate per unit area) to a high of 99.4 (for days to maturity). Expected genetic advance ranged between 9.2% (for days to transition of vegetative to reproductive phase, days to maturity and number of leaves) and 39.8% (for grain filling rate per grain unit). Generally, grain yield gave a significant negative correlation with physiological traits related to development and vegetative growth. But, this correlation was positive and significant for growth rate, grain filling rate, and harvest index. Grain yield was low in its coefficient of genetic variation and expected genetic advance. It is, therefore, concluded that indirect selection for grain yield via growth rate, grain filling rate per unit area and harvest index is efficient. Results suggest that use of easily measured physiological traits in sorghum breeding is possible.