Selfing and crossing techniques

in Sorghum( Sorghum Bicolor)

Equipment
• Forceps
• Scissors
• Fine pointed needle
• Centigrade thermometer
• Kraft paper bag
• Hot water container
• Stove
• Rubber bladder
• Camel hair brush
• Petri dish
• Methylated spirit
• Tag and Lead pencil
Selfing

• Cover the panicle with kraft paper bag before opening of panicle

• Mere bagging of panicle will result in self pollination, avoid foreign

pollen contamination
Cross Pollination
Emasculation: Removal of stamens or anthers or killing the pollen.

(1) Hand emasculation

(2) Hot water emasculation

Hand Emasculation
• Select desirable plants
• Retain 8-15 florets on panicle
• Remove the rest florets with help of scissors
• Cut of the upper 1/3 portion of floret very carefully
• Open the glumes of the floret very carefully with help of pointed
needle and forceps
• By holding floret with thumb and the fore finger
Remove the anther very gently
with a forceps, without
damaging the pistil

Cover the panicle with kraft

paper
Hot water emasculation

Select panicle whose floret are not opened

Place large rubber bladder on the panicle

Tie with peduncle with jute twine

Punch the bladder on one side near mouth

Insert centigrade thermometer in mouth

• Heat water in the container on the stove
• Take the hot water and pour into bladder through punched hole
• Remain dipped in hot water, temperature ranging 42-48 degree
centigrade, for 10 minutes
• Keep an eye on thermometer
• Maintain the temperature
• Remove bladder after treatment
• Cover the panicle with kraft paper bag, pollen are killed by hot
water treatment
Pollination

• In evening, bag the panicle of the male parent before anthesis with
kraft paper
• Next morning collect pollen from bagged plant
• Dust the pollen to emasculated floret with camel hair brush after
removing kraft paper
• Again cover the panicle with respective bag
• Sanitize the equipment and hand before other plant pollination
Labelling

• Tag the plant

• Indicating cross
• Date of pollination and signature
• Write the name of female parent put cross mark and the name of
male parent
• Use lead pencil to avoid removal or damage due to weather.