‘GVARDEETS’ – NEW SORGHUM-SUDAN HYBRID

Arid conditions in Central Ciscaucasia caused a shortage of green fodder for animal husbandry. In the current circumstances, new sorghum-sudan hybrids creation and introduction into production are of great importance. The aim of the research is twofold: to assess green mass, hay and grain productivity and quality; to determine the main biomorphological characteristics and level of heterosis of the new sorghum-sudan hybrid ‘Gvardeets’. The experiments were carried out in competitive and environmental testing. In the Novgorod Oblast, the new hybrid provided 43.0 t/ha of green mass; the same indicator in the Altai FASC comprised 42.1 t/ha exceeding standard hybrid ‘Navigator’ by 2.6 and 0.9 t/ha, respectively. The data were obtained in a competitive test by methods of field and laboratory experiments, as well as environmental testing in various regions of Russia. On average for 2015–2020, in the conditions of the Stavropol Territory, the new hybrid provided 53.87 t/ha of green and 11.55 t/ha of dry matter exceeding standard hybrid ‘Navigator’ by 5.03 and 1.26 t/ha or 10.3 and 12.2%, respectively. ‘Gvardeets’ is a mid-ripening hybrid. The first mowing can be carried out in the booting phase or at the end of June/first half of July, the second one – in the second half of August. Furthermore, in moderately warm and humid summers, it is possible to obtain the third mowing in late September/early October. The new hybrid ‘Gvardeets’ has a high rate of initial plants growth on the 30th day of vegetation (80 cm), as well as a high content of leaves in the green mass (34.7 %). The content of protein in dry matter is 11.8 %, fat – 1.9 %, fiber – 30.9%, ash – 6.3 %. One kilogram of new combination feed contains 0.67 feed units, 70 g of digestible protein, 31.9 g of sugar, 81.2 mg of carotene. The provision of one feed unit with digestible protein is 123 g. There is 8.59 MJ/kg of exchange energy, which is better than that of the standard hybrid ‘Navigator’. The stems of ‘Gvardeets’ plants have a juicy core; plants are resistant to drought, lodging, pests and diseases. The parental forms of the hybrid (‘Zersta 90C’ x ‘Sputnitsa’) are distinguished by a high combinational ability and provide a level of true heterosis of the yield of green mass in the amount of 20.81 t/ha (62.9%). The new sorghum-sudan hybrid ‘Gvardeets’ has been included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation since 2021 in the North Caucasus, Lower Volga, Central Black Earth and West Siberian regions.