GENETIC VARIABILITY IN LAND RACES OF FORAGE SORGHUM {Sorghum bicolor (L) MOENCH} COLLECTED FROM DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL ORIGIN OF INDIA

An evaluation of 102 land races of forage sorghum for days to 50 % flowering, plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf length, leaf breadth and fodder yield per plant in augmented block design during 2009-10 and 2010-11 revealed highly significant differences among the accessions. High heritability accompanied with high GA as per cent of mean was observed for days to 50% flowering, plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf length and fodder yield per plant suggested that these characters are under additive gene action and gives better scope for selection. Fodder yield was positively and significantly correlated with number of leaves per plant, leaf length, leaf width and panicle length. The characters leaf width, number of leaves per plant, days to 50% flowering and panicle length showed positive direct effect on fodder yield. Where as leaf length showed positive significant association with fodder yield but the direct effect of leaf length was negative with fodder yield, which may be a result of the indirect effect of this trait via other traits. Based on the results of the means of the two years considering together for the various traits, the accession E-143 and EJN-11 was found to be superior for earliness, EA-2 and GUB-50 for plant height, E-159 for leaf characters and E-203 and GGUB-39 for fodder yield. Therefore these accessions should be utilized in further breeding program for developing superior varieties.