RA 00048.pdf - OAR@ICRISAT

Plenary Session—Recommendations
1. General Recommendations
1.1 National and International
Research Programs
T h e c o n f e r e n c e r e c o m m e n d e d t h e strengthening
of national and international research
p r o g r a m s o n s o r g h u m , w i t h close cooperation
b e t w e e n the involved agencies for t h e
purpose of increasing s o r g h u m production.
The c o n f e r e n c e e n d o r s e d t h e c o n c e p t of
Geographical Functional Regions involving a
coordinated t e a m of scientists addressing
t h e major problems in t h e s e regions. Important
c o m p o n e n t s of this concept are the
s t r e n g t h e n i n g of c o m m u n i c a t i o n s , technical
transfer and training, and t h e n e e d for i m ­
proved conditions and facilities for research.
1.2 Training
Training is essential in every aspect of
agricultural d e v e l o p m e n t ; the training of scientists
across t h e w h o l e s p e c t r u m of disciplines
is important. These include plant
b r e e d i n g , g e r m p l a s m manipulation, plant
protection
f o o d quality, crop relationships,
e n v i r o n m e n t a l interaction, p r o d u c t i o n o f
quality s e e d , e x t e n s i o n , and m a r k e t i n g .
Emphasis should be placed on training a d m i ­
nistrators in areas of policy and e x p e r i m e n t
s t a t i o n m a n a g e m e n t . T y p e s o f training
should include degree, technical support,
special t e c h n i q u e s , and refresher courses.
1.3 Sorghum in the Nineties
The c o n f e r e n c e r e c o m m e n d e d that a third
international s y m p o s i u m be held in 10 years'
t i m e t o r e v i e w t h e progress m a d e i n t h e
1980s and m a k e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s and set
goals for t h e 1990s.
2. Factors Limiting
Sorghum Production
2.1 Environmental Stress
A l t h o u g h certain factors, particularly drought,
w e r e emphasized as being of major general
importance in limiting s o r g h u m production, it
w a s clear that the m o s t important environmental
constraints differ b e t w e e n regions.
Seedling e m e r g e n c e , high or l o w t e m p e r a ­
tures, and soil factors such as nutrient
deficiencies or toxicities are constraints of
major importance at certain sites. Furtherm
o r e , seasonal patterns of climate, particularly
of w a t e r availability, are crucial in determining
optimal plant type and m a n a g e m e n t
strategies.
Because of the complexity of t h e processes
w h i c h affect yield, there w a s a general
consensus that effort should be d e v o t e d to
i m p r o v i n g e x p e r i m e n t s a n d physiological
understanding in order that reliable predictions
for different e n v i r o n m e n t s can be
m a d e . This is equally important for b o t h soil
and climate constraints and implies t h e
d e v e l o p m e n t and use of appropriate m a t h e ­
matical models. Sorghum yield i m p r o v e m e n t
in the 1980s will involve parallel advances in
a g r o n o m i c t e c h n i q u e s a n d b r e e d i n g
m e t h o d s .
2.1.1 N e e d for a clear definition of environment,.
its variations b e t w e e n and w i t h i n seasons,
and of the yield-limiting factors at each
site. It is important to identify t h e relative
probabilities of occurrence of different
t y p e s of stress.
2 . 1 2 Increasing the input of crop physiology
into m a n a g e m e n t and breeding programs
for environmental constraints. This requires
increased emphasis on t h e training
of w o r k e r s in physiological t e c h n i q u e s
b o t h at universities and in practical training
programs (e.g., at ICRISAT). Lack of personnel,
facilities, and f u n d s for physiological
w o r k , especially in developing c o u n ­
tries, is a major constraint to s o r g h u m
yield i m p r o v e m e n t .
2 . 1 3 Major advances in s o r g h u m i m p r o v e m e n t
requires t h e creation of multi-disciplinary
t e a m s w i t h breeders, physiologists, agron
o m i s t s , climatologists, etc. These w o u l d
be best concentrated at a f e w centers
(e.g., ICRISAT).
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