Heritability, genetic variability and performance of some sweet sorghum varieties for morphological, quality and yield parameters influenced by soil salinity

Two field experiments were carried out at El-Sabahia Research Station (latitude 31ᵒ 12΄N and longitude 29ᵒ 58΄E), Alexandria Governorate, Egypt, in the two summer successive seasons of 2021 and 2022 for studying the responses of five sweet sorghum varieties (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Mohlenbr.) to soil salinity.A split-plot design in a randomized complete block arrangement was used with three replications. Two types of soil (normal (3.48 dSm-1) and saline soil (6.43 dSm-1) were considered as main plots, while five sweet sorghum varieties, namely, GK Gaba, Brands, MN4508, SS301-1, and GK Ahron, were randomly planted in subplots. The findings showed that there were notable variations between the varieties of sweet sorghum for every trait examined during the two seasons.The GK Ahron variety recorded the highest significance for most studied traits such as proline content, stimulated stalk yield, and juice extraction % under saline soil. Broad-sense heritability and genetic advancement expressed as a percentage of the grand mean were used to estimate the extent of genetic variability.There were three promise varieties, Brands, GK Gaba, and GK Ahron, that surpassed the other varieties regarding juice extraction% and juice yield, indicating their magnitude as breeding materials that may be successfully used in breeding programs of sweet sorghum. In the same context, high values of heritability accompanied by genetic advance percentage were observed in terms of juice extraction %, leaf area index, stalk yield (ton/fed), and juice yield (ton/fed), indicating that these traits were well heritable and can be improved through breeding programs.