Molecular Plant Breeding 2024, Vol.15, No.6, 362-370 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/mpb 368 The findings from these studies have several important implications for future sorghum breeding programs. The substantial yield advantages of sorghum hybrids over local varieties underscore the importance of continuing to develop and promote hybrid breeding strategies. This approach can significantly enhance the livelihoods of smallholder farmers by increasing productivity. Incorporating diverse unadapted germplasm into breeding programs is essential for maintaining genetic diversity and achieving long-term genetic gains. Breeding methods that effectively utilize such germplasm should be prioritized. Future breeding efforts should focus on identifying and combining favorable alleles for key traits such as yield, earliness, and plant height. This can be achieved through complex crosses and gene pyramiding strategies. The integration of genomic selection into breeding programs can enhance the accuracy and efficiency of selecting high-performing hybrids. This approach should be further developed and applied to optimize breeding outcomes. Breeding programs should continue to evaluate the adaptation and stability of new varieties across diverse environments. This will ensure the development of sorghum varieties that are resilient to local conditions and climate variability. Acknowledgments GenBreed Publisher appreciates the anonymous peer reviewers for their modification suggestions on the manuscript of this study. Funding This study was supported by the Major Science and Technology Program for Breeding New Agricultural Varieties of Zhejiang Province (2021C02064-4-5, 2023ZDXT03-2). Conflict of Interest Disclosure The authors affirm that this research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. References Amelework B., Shimelis H., and Laing M., 2016, Genetic variation in sorghum as revealed by phenotypic and SSR markers: implications for combining ability and heterosis for grain yield, Plant Genetic Resources, 15: 335-347. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1479262115000696 Carcedo A., Mayor L., Demarco P., Morris G., Lingenfelser J., Messina C., and Ciampitti I., 2022, Environment characterization in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) by modeling water-deficit and heat patterns in the great plains region, United States, Frontiers in Plant Science, 13: 768610. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.768610 PMid:35310654 PMCid:PMC8929132 Chauhan P., and Pandey P., 2021, Parental selections in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) on the basis of heterosis and combining ability in association with SSR diversity in sub-tropical plains of Uttarakhand, India, Plant Archives, 21(1): 540-549. https://doi.org/10.51470/PLANTARCHIVES.2021.v21.no1.076 Chen B., Hou J.F., Cai Y.F., Wang G.Y., Cai R.X., and Zhao F.C., 2024a, Utilizing genetic diversity for maize improvement: strategies and success stories, Maize Genomics and Genetics, 15(3): 136-146. https://doi.org/10.5376/mgg.2024.15.0014 Chen F.P., 2024b, Genetic diversity and adaptability analysis of wild rice germplasm resources, Rice Genomics and Genetics, 15(2): 58-68. https://doi.org/10.5376/rgg.2024.15.0007 Eniola A., Odiyi A., Fayeun L., and Obilana A., 2019, Evaluation of hybrids sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench.) for growth and yield in a rainforest agro-ecological zone, Town Planning Review, 6: 497-505. https://doi.org/10.22271/tpr.2019.v6.i3.062 Fonseca J., Perumal R., Klein P., Klein R., and Rooney W., 2021, Mega-environment analysis to assess adaptability, stability, and genomic predictions in grain sorghum hybrids, Euphytica, 218: 128. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1157295/v1 Gaddameedi A., Phuke R., Polavarapu K., Gorthy S., Subhasini V., Jagannathan J., and Are A., 2020, Heterosis and combining ability for grain Fe and Zn concentration and agronomic traits in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], Journal of King Saud University-Science, 32: 2989-2994. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksus.2020.08.003
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