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 called rabi 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 breeding rabi sorghum for more global productionProvides 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 as rabi sorghumExplores strategies for resilience as the crop must be prepared to withstand rapid and varying changes in climate

1. Introduction
1.1 Importance
1.2 Production statistics
1.3 Environmental factors limiting rabi sorghum productivity
1.4 Uses
1.5 Nutritional status
1.6 Challenges for genetic enhancement
1.7 Characteristics and cultivars
2. Origin and Taxonomy
2.1 Taxonomy
2.2 Origin
3. Morphology and Breeding behaviour
3.1 Morphology
3.2 Breeding behaviour and pollination control
4. Genetic variability
5. Genetics and Cytogenetics
6. History of winter sorghum improvement in India
7. Breeding for rabi sorghum improvement
7.1 Yield and adaptation breeding for grain and fodder yield
7.2 Heterosis breeding
7.3 Breeding for tolerance to abiotic stresses
7.4 Breeding for tolerance to biotic stresses
7.5 Breeding for quality traits
7.6 Participatory varietal selection
8. Industrial/ alternate uses