Sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is the most important cereal crop in Sudan in terms of consumption and total acreage under production. However recent climatic changes, have affected productivity. Cultivation has been constrained by the detrimental effect of drought which has often caused food shortages resulting in famine. Almost 90% of the total sorghum cropped area is rain-fed, and 60% of that is in drought prone soil conditions. A series of experiments were conducted to develop elite early maturing and combinable open pollinated varieties with good grain quality. Seven superior pure lines from an adapted drought tolerant land race commercial Arf'a' Gadamak (CAG,) were selected and tested under irrigation for three seasons at Gezira Research Station (GRS). Based on high yield potential and early maturity, AG-17 line was selected and advanced together with AG-8, AG-15, Wad Ahmed and CAG as checks for multi-location testing under intermediate and high rainfall areas (400-900/mm). Eight specific rain-fed environments were chosen as sites for standard variety trials, over three seasons (2006 to 2009). Results revealed that lines AG-17 flowered 12 days earlier by 50%, than Wad Ahmed. This early maturity coupled with very high yield potential, highlights drought tolerance making it an adaptable and stable crop across a wide range of rainfall environments. Like the released sorghum variety AG-8, the AG-17 line has exceptionally high protein content, 23% and 33% more than the checks, CAG and Wad Ahmed, respectively. This line also possesses the best grain quality, white, large and preferred by the market in addition to other attractive, physical grain characteristics. It was also evident that this line has high bread (kisra) making qualities.
