Varietal differences among sorghum crop residues in relation to their phenolic HPLC fingerprints and responses to different environments

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Abstract
Phenolic compounds in leaves and stems from different sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench) varieties grown at several sites were analysed by HPLC. The chromatograms were subjected to cluster analysis. Environment had greater effects on phenolic composition than variety. However, some differences were also due to varietal effects. Whilst most varieties seemed to give strong environment × genotype interactions, the phenolic compositions of two bird‐resistant (BR) varieties were more stable in different environments. Differences between bird‐and‐non‐bird‐resistant varieties were clearly expressed in leaf phenolics at some but not all sites. All varieties had similar stem phenolics.This type of information is relevant to breeding programmes. A strategy is suggested for selecting BR varieties with improved digestibilities.