Ecological testing of sugar sorghum varieties in agro-climatic conditions of Russia and Kazakhstan

Abstract

Abstract. The purpose is to assess the adaptability of sugar sorghum genotypes in various agro-climatic zones of cultivation. Methods. The reaction rate of 8 samples of sugar sorghum selected by Russian Research and Design-Technological Institute of Sorghum and Corn was evaluated based on the results of the 2020–2022 test in two ecological points: Saratov (Russia, Saratov region) and Kokshetau (Kazakhstan, Akmola region), characterized by different climatic conditions. Methods of cultivation of plants, accounting for yields are generally accepted for sorghum. The repetition in the experiment is threefold, the placement of plots is randomized. Results. According to the results of statistical analysis, the share of the studied factors in the overall variability of traits was established: the greatest contribution to the “plant height” and “biomass yield” was made by the factor “ecological testing point” (33.6–58.0 %), in the “area of the largest leaf” – “genotype” (31.3 %). It was found that in the conditions of Northern Kazakhstan, characterized by lower heat and moisture availability during sorghum testing (the difference in the sum of active temperatures reached 466.2–769.9 °C, and precipitation – 17.0–106.1 mm in comparison with the conditions of the Lower Volga region of Russia), the area of the largest leaf increased by 10.6 cm2 on average for the group of genotypes studied at the same time, the height of plants and the yield of vegetative mass decreased by 22.2 cm and 11.26 t/ha, respectively. At the same time, varieties and hybrids have been identified that form a biomass yield of 20.54–21.44 t/ha on average during the test period – Chayka, Volzhskoe 51, Sakhara, Kalibr. Scientific novelty. For the first time, the possibility of growing varieties of sugar sorghum selected by Russian Research and Design-Technological Institute of Sorghum and Corn in the conditions of Northern Kazakhstan is presented. Thus, according to the complex of adaptability parameters in combination with high biomass productivity, on average, the Volzhskoe 51 variety was selected for the points of environmental testing.