Screening of the mogar collection samples according to productivity and biochemical composition of biomass

In the arid conditions of the Lower Volga region, mogar is a promising fodder crop. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to identify promising samples for the development of new varieties that would meet the requirements of domestic agricultural producers. The paper has presented the estimation results of the mogar varieties of the VIR genetic resources collection according to morphometric parameters, productivity, and nutritional value of aboveground biomass. The study was carried out in the department of perennial and annual grasses of the FSB-SI Russian Research and Project-technological Institute of sorghum and maize “Rossorgo” in 2021–2022. The objects of study were 36 mogar varieties of various ecological and geographical origin. Based on the estimation results of the initial material of mogar, ther have been identified the promising samples for further introduction in the breeding process to increase the values of individual traits, since it is advisable to use the following samples to improve the biochemical composition of the biomass, as k-1356 (Russia), k-1745 (Bulgaria), k-1748 (Bulgaria), k-1775 (Romania) to increase the content of crude protein (> 7.50 %); k-63 (USA), k-80 (USA), k-336 (Morocco), k-1854 (Hungary), k-1877 (the USA) to increase crude fat> 3.00% ; k-1356 (Russia), k-1850 (Hungary), k-1833 (China), Asket (st) (Russia) to increase crude ash >10.00%. The varieties k-605 (China), k-1027 (Kazakhstan), Atlant (Russia) are found promising for breeding work for high yields of aboveground biomass >20.00 t/ha. The studied mogar varieties k-336, k-605, k-993, k-1027, k-1726 according to the collection of fodder units per hectare exceeded the standard variety from 1.2 to 12.9 %. The highest gross energy yield per unit area, exceeding the indicator of the standard variety, was established for the varieties k-336 (Morocco), k-605 (China), k-993 (Romania), k-1027 (Kazakhstan), k-1726 (Canada), k-1775 (Romania).