Assessment of agrobiological properties of varieties and lines of sugar sorghum (Sorghum saccharatum L. Moench) in the conditions of the forest-steppe zone of the Altai Territory

Relevance. The pace of scientific study of the varietal diversity of sugar sorghum (Sorghum saccharatum L. Moench) is gradually increasing, but still remain insufficient for a significant expansion of the boundaries of use of this crop in various branches of industry and agriculture in Western Siberia. The purpose of the research is to identify promising lines and varieties of sugar sorghum of universal use. Materials and Methods. Competitive variety testing of sugar sorghum was carried out in the period 2022-2024 at the experimental field of the Federal State Budgetary Institution «Federal Altai Scientific Center for Agrobiotechnology», located in the suburbs of Barnaul. 4 varieties and 2 lines of sugar sorghum were tested: Alga, Galiya, Kinelskoe 4, Tandem, L1533, L1920. The standard variety was Altayskoye 1. The seeds were sown on plots of 10 m2 in fourfold repetition. The plots were cleaned manually and with the help of a Wintersteiger «Classic» breeding combine. Accounting and evaluation of economically valuable characteristics of cultivars is carried out according to generally accepted and standardized methods. Results. During the test, 3 varieties and 1 line of sugar sorghum were identified, combining a complex of useful agrobiological features: in terms of green yield (93.3 kg/ha) and dry weight (31.2 kg/ha) – Alga; in terms of green yield (76.6 kg/ha), grain (3.0 t/ha) – Kinelskoe 4; in terms of green yield (90.4 c/ha) and dry weight (29.4 c/ha), fat content (2.0%), sugars (23.1 g), digestible protein(111.4 g) – Tandem; in terms of dry weight yield (27.6 c/ha), grain (3.8 t/ha), sugar content (21.8 g), digestible protein (104.6 g) – L1920. Forms that are pronounced according to these characteristics can be commended for further breeding of sugar sorghum.