Genetic Enhancement of Rabi Sorghum ─ Adapting the Indian Durras

Genetic Enhancement of Rabi Sorghum – Adapting the Indian Durras presents both the historical background and the recent research done in breeding this important world crop for more global production. Its chapters cover topics in origin and taxonomy, morphology and breeding behavior, genetics, and cytogenetics, also looking at production, nutrition, and alternate uses.

The durra race is Ethiopian in origin and its introgression with wild forms permitted adaptation to drier conditions. These have migrated and adapted to the currently known crop that is cultivated in the winter season and commonly calledrabi sorghums.

Grown under receding soil moisture conditions, rabi sorghums have tolerance to abiotic stresses apart from biotic stresses, unlike the rainy sorghums that are grown widely in the world. However, they must be more resilient to rapid changes in climate, for example. The variability from winter sorghums is being introgressed into rainy sorghums.

With the yield plateaus reached and sorghum gaining importance as a food crop, this book will be of importance to those studying durras and their breeding.

• Presents both the historical background and most recent research done in breedingrabi sorghum for more global production
• Provides information on the adaptation of the crop and the ways it has migrated to the currently known crop, which is cultivated in winter season and commonly called asrabi sorghum
• Explores strategies for resilience as the crop must be prepared to withstand rapid and varying changes in climate