Abstract

Hybrid sorghums are fast gaining importance as a new source of increased foodgrain productivity. Since 1957, the American farmers have taken to hybrid sorghum strains, the acreage under them being steadily on the increase. In India, projects for the development of hybrid sorghums were commenced in 1960 by the Regional Centres of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. A few promising hybrids have since been evolved and are presently being tested in several parts of the country, including Coimbatore tract, for evaluating their utility. Encouraging results have been obtained in respect of the hybrids tried in Coimbatore tract and a note on their performance has already been published, (Shanmughasundaram et al, 1964). The time is opportune, in this context, to investigate ways and means of producing the seed of hybrid sorghums on a large scale, so that their commended potentiality for higher productivity may also be exploited on a larger scale. Preliminary studies on the production of hybrid sorghum seed were conducted at the Millet Breeding Station, Coimbatore, during the summer season of 1963. The observations are presented in this note.

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