We conducted a three-year field study to evaluate the above-ground biomass yield, plant height, and tillering capacity of eight Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench varieties under two contrasting soil conditions (heavy clay soil and sandy soil) with different water retention. At the Field Experimental Station Žabčice of Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic, we assessed yield performance and yield stability across years and environments. We applied standard agronomic practices and recorded detailed soil and climatic data. Significant differences were found among varieties and between locations in terms of plant height and tillering. KWS SOLE showed the most stable yield (11.80–15.63 t ha−1), while LATTE, KWS TARZAN, and KWS HANNIBAL achieved the highest average yields (up to 20.16 t ha−1). Plant height showed a strong positive correlation with biomass yield. This relationship underscores plant height as a valuable trait for selecting sorghum varieties with improved productivity and drought resilience. Variations in tillering capacity and environmental conditions also significantly influenced yield outcomes, highlighting the complex interaction between genotype and environment. These findings offer practical insights for cultivar selection and breeding strategies that aim to enhance the performance of sorghum varieties under the variable climatic conditions of Central Europe.
Porčová et al. (Tue,) studied this question.