Image: ICRISAT
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In
eastern Africa, sorghum growing is mainly
concentrated in the semi-arid areas spanning
northern Ethiopia, east and western
Kenya, east, south-west and northern
Uganda, central and southern Tanzania. In
this region, sorghum (Sorghum
bicolor
(L.) Moench) is the second most important
staple cereal crop after maize (Zea
mays L.). The sorghum economy is
predominantly found among subsistence,
smallholder-farming communities where most
production is consumed directly as food
(porridge, ugali) and the stover is fed to
livestock.
Sorghum
is a suitable alternative to maize, owing to
superior drought tolerance and adaptability to
poor soils. Despite its significant
contribution to food security and livelihood
of the rural communities, sorghum has received
comparatively less research attention compared
to maize. Therefore, there is a need to invest
in the sorghum research as one of the
strategies to boost productivity and
contribute to economic growth of the region.
However, sorghum grain yield is low and
has been declining mainly due to frequent
drought, low soil fertility particularly in
acid soils that are often associated with low
phosphorus availability and aluminium
toxicity, Striga weed, stem borer, and
foliar diseases such as anthracnose and Turcicum
leaf blight (TLB). In
these areas, the combined biotic stresses
reduce yields by at least 60%,
while drought and nutrient imbalances may
cause total loss of a crop. Most sorghum
varieties grown in this region are in general
susceptible to anthracnose and TLB and are
sensitive to drought, Al toxicity and low
available P that inhibit root growth and
development and hence causes poor water and
mineral absorption from the soil resulting in
delayed maturity. Thus, in acid soils the
combined effects of low available P and Al
toxicity aggravate the drought situation
particularly in drier areas and are therefore
interrelated.
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