Characterization of sorghum lines for low-temperature tolerance and reproductive performance in the post-rainy season

Gaddameedi, A and Phuke, R M and Gorthy, S and Jayakumar, J and Bomma, N and Kavi Kishor, P B and Dar, M and Kumar, A A (2026) Characterization of sorghum lines for low-temperature tolerance and reproductive performance in the post-rainy season. Scientific Reports, 16. pp. 1-18. ISSN 2045-2322

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Abstract

Low night temperatures during the flowering stage in November–December significantly affect sorghum production in the semi-arid regions of India, particularly during critical growth phases. Temperature plays a critical role in sorghum flowering and grain yield, as low temperatures can delay flowering, reduce pollen viability, and result in poor seed set, ultimately lowering yield. To investigate this, a set of experiments was conducted at ICRISAT, India, to characterise 16 sorghum genotypes—including nine varieties and seven hybrid parental lines—under both controlled environment facilities and precision experimental field conditions, with three replications per genotype. The results indicated that the B line 296B and the R line ICSR 149 were the most susceptible to cold stress, while B lines 4111B, 104B, ICSB52, and 185B exhibited greater tolerance. Among the low temperature treatments, Treatment 2 (25 °C/5 °C) had the most adverse impact, recording the lowest values for pollen viability, PHI, and grain yield. Significant positive correlations were observed between grain yield and PHI (r = 0.74, p ≤ 0.01), underscoring PHI’s potential as a reliable phenotypic marker for cold tolerance. In field experiments, both genotype and date of sowing (DOS) significantly influenced all measured traits except plant height. Notably, the second sowing date (8th November) resulted in substantial reductions in mean PHI, panicle weight, and grain yield, further highlighting the adverse effects of low temperatures on sorghum performance. To evaluate cold tolerance, indices such as Stress Susceptibility Index (SSI), Stress Tolerance Index (STI), and Yield Stability Index (YSI) were applied. The collective integration of cold tolerance indices concludes Dagdi Solapur and Phule Anuradha are consistent performers across the stress tolerance Indices and should be candidates for the cold-tolerant breeding program. The B line 4111B could be a better replacement of the popular 296B line for cold-tolerant breeding.

Item Type:	Article
Divisions:	Global Research Program - Accelerated Crop Improvement
CRP:	CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Cereals
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Sorghum, Cold stress, Pollen viability, Panicle harvest index, Controlled environment
Subjects:	Mandate crops > Sorghum
Depositing User:	Mr Nagaraju T
Date Deposited:	10 Nov 2026 06:32
Last Modified:	10 Nov 2026 06:32
URI:	http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/13712
Official URL:	https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-74301-0
Projects:	HOPE –Sorghum and Millets Project
Funders:	CGIAR Research Program -Dryland Cereals
Acknowledgement:	The authors wish to thank the financial support from HOPE –Sorghum and Millets Project. This work has been undertaken as part of the CGIAR Research Program -Dryland Cereals.
Links:	Google Scholar

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