Relationship Between Tannin Content of Sorghum Grain and Preharvest Seed Molding1

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Abstract
Deterioration of grain by preharvest seed molding is a serious production problem of grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] in areas where grain maturation occurs during wet seasons when temperatures are high. Differential preharvest seed molding among 49 commercial grain sorghum hybrids in hybrid performance tests conducted at Experiment and Midville, Georgia in 1971 was evaluated. The objectives were to investigate the consistency of hybrid reaction to seed molding and to determine the relationship between preharvest seed molding and seed tannin content. Preharvest seed mold severity was rated visually using an index scale of 1 (no more than a trace) to 5 (severely molded with 30% or more of grains deteriorated). Seed molding among hybrids was consistent at the two locations (r = 0.94**), indicating that the mechanism controlling preharvest seed molding was similar in the two environments. Seed tannin content was strongly correlated with preharvest seed molding indices (r = −0.89** at Experiment and r = −0.92** at Midville). The negative correlations and coefficients of determination indicated that 79 and 85% of the variability among hybrids for seed mold indices at Experiment and Midville, respectively, was due to high seed tannin associated with resistance. Seed molding was not related to time of 50% anthesis (r = −0.12); other factors conditioning resistance to seed molding were not identified.

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