Evaluasi Pertumbuhan dan Hasil Plasma Nutfah Sorgum (Sorghum vulgare (L.) Moench.) dari Tanaman Induk dan Ratoon

Sorghum had been cultivated by farmers in certain area for a long time. It is used for food or feed and its production was relatively low. Germplasm collection have to be evaluated to obtain certain character which were important to plant breeding. The purpose of this study was to evaluate ratooning ability of sorghum. Research was conducted in Cikeumeuh Experiment Station, Bogor from April-December 1999 using randomized complete block design. There were three type of maturity were studied (21 accessions, 44 accessions and 35 accessions for short, medium and long maturity, respectively). Result showed that main crop was better than ratoon crops. Grain yield of accession No. 15/226 classified as short maturity in ratoon crop, was better than main crop, but total grain yield (main and ratoon crop) was not significantly different compare to Keris M3 and ICSV 93003.   Abstrak Tanaman sorgum telah lama dibudidayakan petani di daerah tertentu. Sorgum dapat digunakan sebagai pangan atau pakan dan umumnya memiliki produksi relatif rendah. Koleksi plasma nutfah perlu dievaluasi untuk mendapatkan karakter tertentu yang penting untuk pemuliaan tanaman. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengevaluasi kemampuan ratoon dari plasma nutfah sorgum. Penelitian dilaksanakan di Instalasi Percobaan Cikeumeuh Bogor yang berlangsung pada April- Desember 1999 dengan menggunakan rancangan acak kelompok. Umur masak tanaman sorgum yang dipelajari terdiri dari 3 kelompok umur panen (21 aksesi umur pendek, 44 aksesi umur sedang, dan 35 aksesi umur panjang). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa tanaman utama lebih baik daripada tanaman ratoon. Bobot biji aksesi No. 15/226 lebih baik daripada tanaman utama, tetapi total bobot biji tanaman utama dan ratoon tidak berbeda nyata apabila dibandingkan dengan aksesi Keris-M3 dan ICSV 93003.