A Comparative Study of the Agronomic Performance of Local and Improved Sorghum (Sorghum bicolour L. Moench) Varieties Introduced into the Korhogo Agroclimatic Zone, Northern Côte d’Ivoire
Siéné Laopé Ambroise Casimir *
Laboratoire Environnement Climat Santé Ingénierie et Développement Durable (LECSI2D), Equipe de Recherche au LECSI2D: Agroécologie et Systèmes Alimentaires, Département de Biologie Végétale, UFR des Sciences Biologiques, Université Peleforo GON COULIBALY, Korhogo, BP 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.
Bayala Roger
Département Agropédologie et SIG/ UFR Agroforesterie, Université Jean Lorougnon Guédé, Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire.
Yapi Arnaud-Freddy
Laboratoire Environnement Climat Santé Ingénierie et Développement Durable (LECSI2D), Equipe de Recherche au LECSI2D: Agroécologie et Systèmes Alimentaires, Département de Biologie Végétale, UFR des Sciences Biologiques, Université Peleforo GON COULIBALY, Korhogo, BP 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.
N’Guettia Tâh Valentin Félix
Laboratoire Environnement Climat Santé Ingénierie et Développement Durable (LECSI2D), Equipe de Recherche au LECSI2D: Agroécologie et Systèmes Alimentaires, Département de Biologie Végétale, UFR des Sciences Biologiques, Université Peleforo GON COULIBALY, Korhogo, BP 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.
Traoré Makissa
Laboratoire Environnement Climat Santé Ingénierie et Développement Durable (LECSI2D), Equipe de Recherche au LECSI2D: Agroécologie et Systèmes Alimentaires, Département de Biologie Végétale, UFR des Sciences Biologiques, Université Peleforo GON COULIBALY, Korhogo, BP 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.
Condé Mariame
Laboratoire Environnement Climat Santé Ingénierie et Développement Durable (LECSI2D), Equipe de Recherche au LECSI2D: Agroécologie et Systèmes Alimentaires, Département de Biologie Végétale, UFR des Sciences Biologiques, Université Peleforo GON COULIBALY, Korhogo, BP 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Sorghum production in northern Côte d’Ivoire is increasingly constrained by biotic factors (diseases, weeds, and birds), abiotic stresses (poor soils and prolonged drought), and climate variability, highlighting the need for high-yielding and climate-resilient varieties. This study aims to evaluate the agronomic performance of introduced improved sorghum varieties and local cultivars in the Korhogo agroclimatic zone in northern Côte d’Ivoire, in a context of climate variability. To this end, four local cultivars selected on the basis of seed colour and size, as well as three improved varieties from Senegal, were studied in a completely randomised block design with three replicates. Agronomic and phenological traits, including plant growth, flowering, maturity, and yield components, were measured throughout the cropping cycle. The results reveal that there is agromorphological diversity within the varieties studied. Ascending hierarchical classification (AHC) identified three groups of varieties. Multiple analysis of variance showed a significant difference between these three groups. Group 1 consisted of the introduced improved varieties (V1, V2 and V3), which yielded the highest yields (1.56 t/ha) with a shorter average growing season of 105.66 days. Group 2 comprised three local cultivars (V5, V7 and V4), which were characterised by a long average growing season (134.44 days), tall plants (266.20 cm) and a low yield (0.34 t/ha). Group 3, meanwhile, consisted of a single local cultivar (V6) which had a long average cycle duration (144.66 days), a high number of leaves (13.83 leaves) and zero yield. This study clearly demonstrates that the improved short-cycle varieties introduced performed better under the agro-climatic conditions of the study area and could help to increase sorghum production there. Varieties from the other groups could serve as elite parents in a breeding and development programme aimed at creating varieties that meet the needs of farmers.
Keywords: Adaptability, agro-morphological diversity, agronomic performance, climatic variability, sorghum, Côte d'Ivoire