Sorghum tolerance to low-phosphorus soil conditions

Publication date: 18/09/2017
Extent: 26 pages

Contributions by: Willmar L. Leiser, University of Hohenheim, Germany; H. Frederick Weltzien-Rattunde and Eva Weltzien-Rattunde, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA; and Bettina I.G. Haussmann, University of Hohenheim, Germany

Chapter synopsis: Many sorghum growing areas in Africa are affected by phosphorus (P) scarcity. In these areas small-scale farmers depend on sorghum for food security and income, but have difficulty accessing or paying for P fertilizer. With the expected future price increases for P fertilizer, this problem is likely to increase. Enhancing sorghum tolerance to low P soil conditions is therefore of great importance both now and for the future. This chapter first gives an overview of the worldwide P challenge, and then focuses on the challenges of breeding sorghum for low soil P conditions, taking breeding for smallholder farmers in West Africa as a case study. We summarize the implications for applied sorghum breeding in West Africa, and review the future trends and challenges (both breeding and agronomic/socioeconomic) in bringing benefits of sorghum low-P tolerance to West African farmers.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2017.0015.30