Genetic diversity, importance and prospects for varietal improvement of sweet grain sorghum in Burkina Faso

Abstract

Sweet grain sorghum is a very important cereal for urban and especially rural communities in Burkina Faso. It is mainly grown by traditional farmers. Consumed fresh in a pasty state, the grains have a huge nutritional potential and could improve the quality of the consumers' diet. In addition, the marketing of panicles harvested at the doughy grain stage offers substantial income benefits to farmers and traders. The straw of this sorghum is also an excellent fodder for the integration of agriculture with breeding. Despite the many advantages of this crop, it has long remained under-exploited due to insufficient knowledge of its potential and little research attention. However, the conservation and improvement of the quality of sweet grain sorghum is an important issue for the various stakeholders in the crop chain. Thus, based on the various research studies conducted on the crop since 2008 in Burkina Faso, this literature review highlights the importance of sweet grain sorghum, its role in crop diversification, its nutritional properties, as well as the future possibilities for selection and genetic improvement of this species.