Morpho-biological study of the grain sorghum collection of the fsbsi «ARC «Donskoy»

The current paper has presented the estimation results of the grain sorghum varieties and samples in a collection nursery. The purpose of the study was to analyze the collection material of grain sorghum and select the best variety samples for breeding work. The study of the samples was carried out in the laboratory for grain sorghum breeding and seed production of the FSBSI “ARC “Donskoy” in 2020–2023. The objects of the study were 40 grain sorghum samples and varieties. Morphometric analysis was carried out according to the methods presented by B.A. Dospekhov (2014). The variety ‘Zernogradskoe 88’ was used as a standard one. During the analysis, there have been identified the samples that exceeded the standard variety in 1000-grain weight, number of grains per panicle, and productivity per plot. According to productivity there have been identified such samples as ‘Milo 168/Combeine 7078’, ‘No. 93-23-13’, ‘Hegari’, ‘Kitayskoe 3’, ‘DN – 33f’, ‘D.D. Yellow Sooner Milo-2501’, ‘No. 50-13’, which produced over 600 g/m 2 . According to 1000-grain weight, the sample ‘No. 61-13’ was of the greatest breeding value with a 1000-grain weight of 39.3 g. According to number of grains per panicle the variety ‘Kitayskoe 3’ was the best with 2324 pcs. The identified samples have been recommended for use in breeding programs as grain sorghum sources.