The Effect of Maturity Period on Grain Yield, Biomass Production, and Harvest Index in Sorghum

Sorghum is a climate-resilient crop; however, recurrent drought and shorter rainy seasons limit its productivity. Sorghum grain yield (GY), biomass production (AGB), and harvest index (HI) are influenced by the genetic composition and plasticity of the maturity period. Limited studies have examined the effect of the maturity period on these traits. This study evaluated 106 diverse sorghum genotypes to determine the effect of maturity period on these traits to identify contrasting genotypes for breeding and production. Field trials were conducted during the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons using a 10 × 11 alpha lattice design. During season I, late-maturing genotypes produced GY and AGB values 28.8% and 51.2% higher than early-maturing genotypes and 34.9% and 54.4% higher than medium-maturing genotypes, respectively, but recorded 19.24% and 12.28% lower HIs than the early- and medium-maturing genotypes, respectively. In season II, late-maturing genotypes had a 10.43% and 34.49% lower GY and HI, respectively, yet a 92.69% higher AGB than early-maturing genotypes. Compared with medium-maturing types, late-maturing genotypes had a 2.32% and 24.1% lower GY and HI, respectively, but a 52.96% higher AGB. The findings demonstrated that the effect of maturity period on sorghum GY, AGB, and HI is strongly influenced by the genetic potential for crop maturation and environmental conditions. Genotypes AS232, AS603, and AS580 combined early maturity and higher GY, AGB, and HI values, making them promising candidates for cultivation and breeding in drought-prone agroecologies.