Evaluation of sorghum [ <i>Sorghum bicolor</i> (L.) Monech] genotypes for drought tolerance based on morpho‐physiological traits

Abstract Sorghum [ Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is an important crop in Ethiopia, especially in lowland areas where drought stress is a major issue. Despite its tolerance, sorghum is susceptible to water‐deficit stress during certain growth stages. To identify drought‐tolerant genotypes and traits/mechanisms contributing to drought tolerance, a study evaluated 225 sorghum genotypes and assessed the variability, heritability, and genetic advance of these traits using a simple lattice design under stress and non‐stress conditions. The analysis revealed significant differences in all traits under both conditions. Drought had a notable impact on various aspects of plant growth, including flowering, maturity, grain yield, and physiological traits such as chlorophyll content and canopy temperature. The study also found moderate to high genetic variation, genetic advance, and heritability for grain yield per panicle, panicle weight, plant height, panicle length, straw yield, and aboveground biomass under both environments. Additionally, grain yield had a positive correlation with 1000‐kernel weight, aboveground biomass, harvest index, and grain yield per panicle under both conditions. These traits therefore deserve more attention in future breeding programs aimed at developing drought‐tolerant sorghum varieties. The study underlined that morpho‐physiological diversity in the studied material is shaped by genotypes, and it could be utilized for variety development and germplasm conservation programs aimed at improving drought tolerance in sorghum.