Phenotyping sorghum genotypes for anthracnose resistance in Western Ethiopia

Abstract Anthracnose (Colletotrichum sublineolum Henn.) disease has severely affected sorghum, a staple crop in Western Ethiopia, resulting in substantial yield losses and reduced grain quality. The study evaluated 60 sorghum genotypes (44 landraces, 9 varieties, and 7 crosses) under natural epidemics at a hotspot trial site in Assosa, Ethiopia to determine useful parental lines for breeding sorghum resistant to C. sublineolum. Environment, genetic and phenotypic components influenced the variation observed in the sorghum genotypes. The estimates observed for the environmental coefficient of variation (35.26) for C. sublineolum, the phenotypic coefficient of variation (31.93, 56.64, 38.96) for C. sublineolum severity, grain yield and plant height, the genetic coefficient of variation (54.58, 37.58) for grain yield and plant height, heritability (0.93, 0.93) for grain yield and plant height, and genetic advances (220.16) for plant height revealed that effective selection could realize resistance to C. sublineolum. C. sublineolum severity exhibited negative genotypic variance (-0.88) and heritability (-0.22), suggesting complex interactions with environmental conditions. Based on the performance of the tested sorghum genotypes Melkam was the most resistant (score: 3) to C. sublineolum followed by ETSL100663 (score of 3.8). These findings underscore the importance of integrating both genetic potential and environmental adaptation in developing C. sublineolum resistant sorghum varieties, an essential step toward enhancing food security in Ethiopia.