Evaluating the Resistance of Sorghum Landraces to Anthracnose in Hot-Humid Agro-Ecologies of Ethiopia

Identifying robust sorghum for yield and Anthracnose

Abstract

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) is crucial for food security and farmers’ livelihoods in Ethiopia. However, biotic stresses like anthracnose (Colletotrichum sublineola) hinder its production. This study evaluates the resistance of 42 sorghum landraces and breeding lines to anthracnose stress across three locations over two years in the hot-humid agroecologies of Ethiopia. The results confirm significant genotype variation in response to anthracnose, with notable differences in agronomic traits and grain yield. The genotypes Mok079 (G4) emerged as the top-performing landrace, showcasing high yield and a moderately resistant to anthracnose, while the landraces Bmb097 (G5) and Y047 (G18) exhibited stability and lower anthracnose severities. This study highlights the importance of environmental factors in anthracnose severity, emphasizing the necessity for multi-environment trials to enhance the stability of sorghum performance. The findings provide a foundation for breeding strategies to develop superior sorghum varieties that can sustainably bolster food security for smallholder farmers in hot-humid agroecologies of Ethiopia.