Abstract
Sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L.), locally known as jowar, is a vital summer fodder crop in Pakistan, significantly contributing to livestock sustenance. However, drought stress poses a critical challenge by reducing plant biomass and elevating hydrogen cyanide (HCN) content, a toxic antiquality component that endangers livestock health. This study aimed to identify sorghum genotypes with improved fodder yield and reduced HCN content under drought stress. Seventy diverse genotypes were evaluated in a hydroponic system under three polyethylene glycol (PEG) levels (0%, 5%, and 10%) in a two‐factor factorial experiment arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed highly significant ( p < 0.05) genotype, treatment, and genotype × treatment interaction effects across all measured traits, indicating considerable genetic variability in drought responses. Drought stress significantly increased root length (RL) (3.2–13.2 cm) and decreased several morphological traits including shoot length (SL), shoot fresh and dry weights (SFW and SDW), and chlorophyll (23.4–42.8 μg cm −2 ) and fodder quality traits including crude protein (CP) (15.4%–24.1%) and crude fiber (CF). Principal component analysis (PCA) explained 72.4% of the total variance in the first three components, identifying SDW, SFW, RL, and SL as key contributors to drought tolerance. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive and negative correlations among the traits under all normal and drought conditions. Despite these reductions, genotypes such as Sorg‐60, Sorg‐66, and Sorg‐7 showed superior performance in both biomass and quality traits, while Sorg‐53 and Sorg‐56 exhibited high sensitivity to drought. Based on PCA biplot positioning and trait performance, 20 genotypes (10 highly tolerant and 10 highly sensitive) were selected for field evaluation under normal and drought conditions using a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Morphological, physiological, and fodder quality traits showed comparatively low reduction under drought conditions in tolerant genotype compared to drought‐sensitive genotypes. Statistical analyses supported the findings and highlighted promising genotypes for use in future sorghum breeding programs aimed at enhancing forage yield and nutritional safety under water‐limited environments.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Genotype, PEG treatment, and their interaction significantly affected all measured traits.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed highly significant ( p < 0.05) genotype, treatment, and genotype × treatment interaction effects across all measured traits”
Claim · model-written summary
Drought significantly increased sorghum root length.
SorghumNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Drought stress significantly increased root length (RL) (3.2–13.2 cm)”
t0“Sorghum Genotypes”
Claim · model-written summary
Drought reduced shoot length and shoot fresh and dry weights.
- Treatment
- Drought stresse0
- Outcome
- shoot length (SL), shoot fresh and dry weights (SFW and SDW)e0
- Direction
- decreasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Drought stress significantly increased root length (RL) (3.2–13.2 cm) and decreased several morphological traits including shoot length (SL), shoot fresh and dry weights (SFW and SDW)”
t0“Sorghum Genotypes”
Claim · model-written summary
Drought reduced chlorophyll.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“chlorophyll (23.4–42.8 μg cm −2 )”
e1“Drought stress significantly increased root length (RL) (3.2–13.2 cm) and decreased several morphological traits including shoot length (SL), shoot fresh and dry weights (SFW and SDW), and chlorophyll”
t0“Sorghum Genotypes”
Claim · model-written summary
Drought reduced crude protein and crude fiber forage quality traits.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“fodder quality traits including crude protein (CP) (15.4%–24.1%) and crude fiber (CF)”
e1“Drought stress significantly increased root length (RL) (3.2–13.2 cm) and decreased several morphological traits including shoot length (SL), shoot fresh and dry weights (SFW and SDW), and chlorophyll (23.4–42.8 μg cm −2 ) and fodder quality traits”
t0“Sorghum Genotypes”
Claim · model-written summary
The first three principal components explained 72.4% of variance, with SDW, SFW, RL and SL contributing to drought tolerance.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Principal component analysis (PCA) explained 72.4% of the total variance in the first three components, identifying SDW, SFW, RL, and SL as key contributors to drought tolerance.”
t0“Sorghum Genotypes”
Claim · model-written summary
Sorg‐60, Sorg‐66 and Sorg‐7 performed well in biomass and quality traits.
- Material
- Sorg‐60, Sorg‐66, and Sorg‐7e0
- Outcome
- biomass and quality traitse0
- Direction
- superior performancee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“genotypes such as Sorg‐60, Sorg‐66, and Sorg‐7 showed superior performance in both biomass and quality traits”
t0“Sorghum Genotypes”
Claim · model-written summary
Sorg‐53 and Sorg‐56 were highly drought sensitive.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Sorg‐53 and Sorg‐56 exhibited high sensitivity to drought.”
t0“Sorghum Genotypes”
Claim · model-written summary
Tolerant genotypes showed less reduction in morphology, physiology and forage quality than sensitive genotypes.
- Outcome
- Morphological, physiological, and fodder quality traitse0
- Direction
- low reductione0
- Comparator
- drought‐sensitive genotypese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Morphological, physiological, and fodder quality traits showed comparatively low reduction under drought conditions in tolerant genotype compared to drought‐sensitive genotypes.”
t0“Sorghum Genotypes”
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