Diversity Among Venezuelan Sorghum Mutants For Some Characteristics in Semi-Arid Tropical Conditions

The study on adaptability of 17 sorghum mutants and the parents CRP and CBA showed that the mutants of both CRP and CBA have stability of plant type and flowering during the summer season in contrast to CBA parent. They were found superior in yield, disease resistance and regeneration to the best hybrids and parents. While height differences were not significant between CRP and its mutants, the mutants had less number of total leaves, limited senescence of leaves at harvest, but with similar duration of flowering, and superiority in panicle exertion, more panicles for unit area and higher yield, and resistance to Macrophomina and Fusarium. The CBA mutants were shorter than the parent (CBA) by 50%, had 7 leaves less, earlier by one month with similar exsertion of panicle and panicle size, but had more panicles for unit area and much more yield. Their resistance to Macrophomina was excellent but slightly less than the parent. in both the categories of mutants, considerable variability existed for both the characters. Apparently, among the mutants there was no adverse relation between yield and vegetative characters like, height, number of leaves, flowering, panicle size and level of resistance to Fusarium. The high yield potential of mutational rectification of locally adapted cultivars and the diversity generated was demonstrated in this material where an interdisciplinary approach to selection was practised from M2 generation onwards.