ICRISAT Archival Report 2006 - The seedlings of success in the ...

Regional Hybrid trials for collaborative yield testing of hybrids were prepared and dispatched to Mali, Burkina Faso,
Senegal, and Nigeria (Table 1). Trials consist of 7 to 13 hybrids, based on adaptation zone and seed availability.
Table 1. Regional Hyrid Trials 2006
Zone N. Sudanian S. Sudanian Guinean
Site
(Country)
Bengou
(Niger)
Sinthiou
(Senegal)
Samaru
(Nigeria)
Bamb
ey
(Seneg
al)
Saria
(Burkin
a Faso)
Samanko
1 st Date
(Mali)
Samanko
2 nd Date
(Mali)
Sotuba,
Cinzana
(Mali)
# Entries 12 12 16 18 55 55 16 18
The Regional Sorghum Hybrid Trials in 2005 were conducted with NARS collaborators in the Northern Sudanian
zone (ISRA, Bambey, Senegal; INERA, Saria Burkina Faso), the Southern Sudanian zone (INRAN, Bengou Niger;
ISRA, Sinthiou Senegal; IER-Sotuba, Mali; and ICRISAT-Samanko, Mali (at two dates of sowing)), and the
Northern Guinea zone (IAR-Samaru, Nigeria).
All trials had significant genetic differences for grain yields, with acceptable heritabilities and standard errors (Table
2). The grain yield superiority of hybrids over the local check is significant in the Southern Sudanian zone, with the
best hybrid producing at least double the yield of the local check variety. The mean yield of all hybrids tested
showed a 17 to 58% superiority over the local check, equivalent to 0.3 to 0.9 t more yield. In contrast, the
superiority of these hybrids in the Northern Sudanian and Guinean zones were considerably less, indicating the need
to develop other hybrids for these regions.
Table 2. Mean grain yields (t/ha) of all hybrids, best hybrid, open pollinated variety and local check variety in
Collaborative Sorghum Hybrid Trials in the Northern Sudan (2) Southern Sudan (5) and Guinean (1) zones
2005
Zone N. Sudanian S. Sudanian Guinean
Location
Yield
Best
Hybrid
Mean (all
Hybrids)
Best
Variety
Mean (all
Varieties)
Local
Check
Yield
Local
Check
Stand.
Bambey
Senegal
Saria
Burkina
Faso
Bengou
Niger
Samank
o
1 st Date
Mali
Samank
o
2 nd Date
Mali
Sotuba
Mali
Sinthiou
Senegal
Samaru
Nigeria
1.86 2.93 3.70 3.69 3.11 3.55 2.73 1.88
1.09 1.50 2.03 2.66 2.00 1.97 1.98 1.55
1.83 1.94 2.64 3.30 2.46 2.00 1.91 1.92
1.15 1.12 1.45 1.81 1.59 1.21 1.21 1.20
93B1062 Local 1 Sinthiou CSM CSM CSM Guinea Fara
Local 388 388 388 Local Fara 27
1.48 1.75 1.73 1.79 1.58 1.25 1.37 1.92
0.25 0.28 0.30 0.27 0.27 0.30 0.16 0.26
Error
Heritability 0.79 0.77 0.85 0.87 0.83 0.87 0.93 0.63
HFW Rattunde, E Weltzien with IER, IAR, INERA, ISRA
Examination of the five highest yielding hybrids in each trial reveals the prevalence (and thus high combining
ability) of a few male parents. Late maturing male parents from Humid West Africa; Nigeria (Fara Fara and IS
7978) and Cameroon (IS 30804 and IS 15629) occurred very frequently in the top yielding hybrids. The commercial
feasibility of these hybrids is still unclear until off-season seed production techniques can be perfected. A male
parent of the bicolor race (CSM 52-114) also consistently produced high yielding hybrids, although the tighter
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