Physiological and Genetic Evaluation of Sudan Grass Samples for Cold Hardiness

Sorghum is a very heat-loving crop, therefore, at low positive temperatures, its seeds germinate for a long time, the plants grow and develop slowly, which leads to the overgrowth of the field with weeds. Despite the thermophilicity of sorghum, its plants are capable of hardening. Sudan grass is more cold hardy than grain and sugar sorghum. Thus, the search for and identification of cold-resistance genes in Sudan grass samples is an urgent task for the further development of cold-resistant varieties. The aim of the research is to identify the cold tolerance of Sudan grass samples using physiological methods and Fearlygerm-9.3 QTL markers. When studying the samples, the following laboratory methods were used: seed germination at low temperatures, DNA isolation, PCR, and electrophoresis on agarose gels. The cold resistance gene was determined using the Xsbarslbk 9.58 and Xsbarslbk 2.56 markers. All studied genotypes were divided into 5 groups according to cold resistance. As a result of the comprehensive studies, cold-resistant samples of Sudanese grass were identified: Volzhskaya 51, Senokosny, K-315, Gratsiya, Priobskaya, Yubileinaya 20, K-160, K-279. The isolated samples of Sudanese grass can be used in breeding programs aimed at creating cold-resistant varieties and hybrids.