Genetic variability and association of quantitative traits among Sorghum ( <i>Sorghum bicolor</i> L. Moench) genotypes in the highlands of eastern Ethiopia

Abstract Sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) is an important and genetically variable food crop. In Hirna, eastern Ethiopia, 49 sorghum genotypes were evaluated for genetic diversity, heritability, genetic advance, and correlations throughout the main rainy seasons of 2017 and 2018. The experiment was arranged in a lattice square design with three replications. Information on traits relating to yield and phenology was collected. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences ( p &lt; 0.01) between the sorghum genotypes for each parameter in both experimental years. The phenotypic and genotypic variants for the cropping years 2017 and 2018 were 5.07%–26.36% and 7.10%–27.35%, respectively, and 6.70%–21.09% and 4.16%–21.30%. The highest estimates of heritability were linked to high genetic advance over mean for days of 50% blooming, leaf number, panicle length, 1000‐seed weight, severity, and area under the disease progress curve in the 2 years. Over the course of the two trial years, correlation analysis showed a varied relationship between the qualities. Leaf width, leaf number, leaf length, leaf area, panicle length, panicle weight, and panicle width have shown a positive and significant correlation with grain yield. However, it exhibited strong and negative relationships with anthracnose disease parameters at the genotypic and phenotypic levels across the two growing seasons. The current experiment revealed high levels of genotypic and phenotypic diversity in Ethiopian sorghum genotypes, which raised the prospect of taking the variety into account for next development initiatives. Furthermore, the high heritability together with the high genetic advance observed in the studied characters indicated that selection based on these traits could be rewarding.