Sorghum Improvement—Integrating Traditional and New Technology to Produce Improved Genotypes

Sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) is a major cereal grain crop grown throughout the semi arid regions of the world. Depending on the region of production, the type of sorghum and the purpose for its production varies widely. Whether they are breeding varieties or hybrids, the primary focus of sorghum breeders throughout the world are yield, adaptation and quality. In addition to breeding for these factors, reducing losses due to stress is equally important. Most breeding programs consistently select for tolerance to abiotic stresses (such as drought and low temperatures) and biotic stresses (such as sorghum midge, grain mold, anthracnose, and charcoal rot). Finally, the integration of molecular genetic technology is enhancing sorghum improvement by providing a genetic basis for many important traits and through marker-assisted selection. Sorghum improvement in the future will require effective utilization of all the available tools in order to develop sorghum genotypes suitable for the needs of their producers and end-users.