Development of Sorghum-Sudan Grass Hybrids for High Forage Yield and Quality

A project titled “Development of Sorghum-Sudan grass Hybrids for High Forage Yield and Quality Characters” was executed at the Fodder Research Program, National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad, from 2007-2010. Germplasm comprising 24 Cytoplasmic Male Sterile (CMS) “A” and their counter “B” lines of sorghum and 16 of Sudan grass (Restorer) was collected from different sources. Nine desirable most promising parental lines (Hi-Sell A, Redlan A, ICS-276 A and their counter B lines of sorghum and SG Green leaf, SG Hi-Sell and SG Monarch) were selected on the basis of desirable characteristics for use in hybrid combinations. A total of 70 hybrid combinations were made using different parenthybrids during summer 2008. Fourteen hybrid combinations were evaluated against standard hybrid “Pak-Sudax” at NARC during spring 2009. On the basis of four cuttings, it was found that NARC Hybrid-5, NARC Hybrid-3 and NARC Hybrid-2 performed well-yielding of green fodder yield in the range of 143.23 to 153.13 t ha-1 and dry matter yield range of 26.64 to 30.70 t ha-1 against check hybrid “Pak-Sudax” (109.54 and 19.48 t ha-1, respectively). These hybrids have shown a great potential by producing 31 to 40 percent increase in green fodder yield and 37 to 49 percent dry matter yield accompanied with better crude protein contents against standard S. S. hybrid (Pak-Sudax).