Table 2.
Traits assessed during the study with corresponding measurements and units.
| Trait | Description | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative traits | ||
| Days to 50% flowering | Days from sowing to 50% plant flowering | Days |
| Days to 75% maturity | Days from sowing to 75% physiological maturity based on a dark layer at the tip of the sorghum kernel | Days |
| Grain filling duration | Difference between the number of days to maturity and days to 50% flowering | Days |
| Plant height | Measured from ground level to the tip of the panicle at physiological maturity | Cm |
| Rachis number | Number of rachis per panicle | Number |
| Panicle length | From the lower panicle branch to the tip of the panicle at maturity | Cm |
| Panicle width | Width of the panicle in a natural position at the widest part | Cm |
| Dry panicle weight | Weight of dry panicle before threshing | G |
| 100 seed weight | Weight of 100 seeds at 12.5% moisture content | G |
| Grain yield | Grain weight per plot at 12.5% moisture content | G |
| Qualitative traits | ||
| Agronomic score | Visual rating at the vegetative stage; 1 to 3 scales, where 1 indicates Poor, 2 = Average, and 3 = Good | Codes |
| Panicle exsertion | Length of peduncle from flag leaf to the base of inflorescence; 1=<2 cm, slightly exserted; 2 = 2–10 cm, exserted; 3=>10 cm, well exserted; 4 = Peduncle recurved | Codes |
| Grain color | 1 = White, 2 = Yellow 3 = Red, 4 = Brown, 5 = Buff, 6 = Others (specify) | Codes |
| Glume color | 1 = Sienna (yellow group), 2 = Mahogany (greyed-orange group), 3 = Red, 4 = Black, 5 = Purple, 6 = White, 7 = Grey 8 = Others (specify) | Codes |
| Leaf midrib color | 1 = Pale green, 2 = White 3 = Green, 4 = Purple, and 5 = Colorless | Codes |
| Inflorescence compactness | 1 = Compact, 2 = Semi-compact, 3 = Loose, and 4 = Semi-loose | Codes |
| Inflorescence shape | 1 = Erect, 2 = Drooping, 3 = Elliptic, and 4 = Oval | Codes |
| Glume covering | Amount of grain covered by glum; 1 = 25%, 2 = 50%, 3 = 75%, 4 = 100% or grain fully covered, and 5 = Glumes longer than the grain | Codes |
| Awns | 1 = present or 2 = absent at maturity | Codes |
| Stay green | Visual rating at physiological maturity; 1 to 5 scales, where 1 = Very slightly senescent; 2 = Slightly senescent; 3 = Intermediate (about half of the leaves dead); 4 = Mostly senescent; and 5 = completely senescent (plant leaves and stalk dead) | Codes |