Short communication A simple method to determine transpiration efficiency in sorghum

AbstractSorghum[Sorghum bicolor (L.)Moench]isaC4cerealgraincropgrownprimarilyinaridandsemi-aridregionsintheworldwithlimitedornoirrigation.Sorghumproductionfluctuatesandlargelydependsontheamountanddistributionofrainfall.Transpirationefficiency(TE),thebiomassproduced per unit water transpired, could be a potential trait to improve sorghum yield in areas where irrigation is limited. We have developed amini-lysimetric method that directly measures whole plant TE in sorghum during an early vegetative stage under greenhouse conditions. Themethod was evaluated with11inbred lines andthree hybrids undertwo greenhouse environments.Ingeneral, TE determined withthegravimetricmethod was higher under lower vapor pressure deficit conditions; however, similar rankings in TE were obtained across the experiments. Themethod described in this report offers a simple, high-throughput, and affordable way to determine the integrated TE in sorghum at an earlyvegetative stage.Published by Elsevier B.V. Keywords: Transpiration efficiency; Sorghum; Genetic variation