International Research Journal of Plant and Crop Sciences ISSN: 1711-3490 Vol. 4 (1), pp. 115-126, January, 2018. © Advanced Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Maximizing seed production during segregating generations of crosses, germplasm maintenance and hybridization processes for breeding

*Arthur V. Monroe, Henry Charlie and Theodore C. Jefferson

School of Environment, Natural Resources and Geography (SENRGy), Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales LL57 2UW UK.

*Corresponding Author. Email: [email protected] 

Accepted 05 January, 2018

Abstract

Efficacy of pollination bags made of new nonwoven fabrics was compared with the traditional paper bags in sorghum during 2015 using three cultivars comprising BR007B (red seeded), SC283 (white seeded) and 1167048 hybrid with tannin (brown seeded). The five pollination bag treatments were: no bagging, traditional paper bag, paper bag plus plastic screen bag for extra bird protection, duraweb^® SG2 polypropylene bag and duraweb^® SG1 polyester bag. There was no bird damage on tannin hybrid but birds damaged bags to access grains of the other two varieties. Varieties and bag types differed significantly, and also showed significant interactions for panicle weight (at P<0.06), seed weight and average seed weight per panicle. The tannin hybrid was consistently a better performer for all traits regardless of bag type. The paper bags were the worst for bird damage. Duraweb® SG1 was the best performer for all traits including bird damage followed by duraweb^® SG2. The joint regression analysis showed that BR007B performed consistently under all bag types with average response. On the other hand, SC283 improved its response with the increasing quality of bag type at an above average rate for panicle weight and seed traits. It was concluded that new nonwoven fabric bags could replace paper bags in providing better seed production potential and greater protection against bird damage. 

Key words: Sorghum, pollination bags, panicle weight, seed weight, bird control.