Abstract

JIMENEZ-OCAMPO, Rafael; ROSALES-SERNA, Rigoberto  and  DOMINGUEZ-MARTINEZ, Pablo Alfredo. Lico: a variety of sweet sorghum for forage production. Rev. Mex. Cienc. Agríc [online]. 2024, vol.15, n.2, e2959.  Epub June 21, 2024. ISSN 2007-0934.  https://doi.org/10.29312/remexca.v15i2.2959.

A steady supply of seeds of useful sweet sorghum varieties is required to meet the demand for forage. The objective was to develop a sweet sorghum variety adapted to irrigation and rainfed conditions to produce high-quality forage. The Lico variety (PED-1m-2m-3u) was developed by mass selection from a heterogeneous population collected in 2008 in Pedriceña, Dgo. This variety exceeded the state average yield (32.7 t ha-1), with an average commercial yield of fresh forage under irrigation of 50.5 t ha-1. The Lico variety, compared to Mercedes, had more days to the emergence of the panicle (86 vs 81 days after sowing: DAS), cut height (286 vs 256 cm), and lower weight of 1000 seeds (15 g vs 17.4 g). Lico is mainly recommended for producing forage (fresh and silage). The caryopsis is reddish-brown and shows a long grain surface covered by the glume. Lico exhibited resistance to the natural incidence of ergot (Claviceps spp.), although it occasionally showed lodging. This variety is in the process of technology transfer to establish its adaptability, possibility of adoption, and potential to increase forage yield and quality.

Keywords : Sorghum bicolor; adaptation; attributes; productivity.