Sorghum genotypes response to dryland conditions of northern Kazakhstan

Sorghum genotypes are characterised by drought resistance and high biomass production, which makes them suitable for animal feeding under conditions of fodder scarcity in dry steppe zones. Under the harsh continental conditions in northern Kazakhstan, the selection of suitable sorghum genotypes is crucial for maintaining yield stability and product quality. In 2020–2022, studies were conducted in northern Kazakhstan on 9 varieties of sweet sorghum and 7 hybrids of sweet sorghum–sudangrass to determine the relationship between qualitative and productive traits for modelling optimal material. Hybrids were inferior to sweet sorghum in terms of total yield and stem biomass, but had a higher leaf mass, making them more suitable for use as animal feed. The results contribute to a better understanding of plant resilience and support the promotion of sorghum and sorghum–sudangrass hybrids in cold regions with short summers for sustainable forage production under uncertain climatic conditions. The results show that the 2 sweet sorghum genotypes (Kapital and Volonter) are characterised by stable productivity and good adaptability under different environmental conditions, as they can reach full maturity over the three years. Volzhskoye 51 and Calibr genotypes are best suited for green mass production under higher rainfall conditions, while the SP 15 genotype is best among sorghum-sudangrass hybrids. The sweet sorghum varieties Sevilia, Kapital and Sahara stood out for their higher sugar content in stem juice and can be recommended for bioethanol production.