Purpose of description

MRS 94 is a high-yielding ( 3 - 4 ha- 1 yield potential), medium-long duration sorghum variety recommended for cultivation in the marginal agroecological areas of Swaziland; especially in the dry Middleveld (350-500 m altitude) and the Lowveld (below 350 m). It consistently outyielded the popular local variety Ntuli Red by 75% on average. It is one of the first two improved varieties released by the Government of Swaziland (Swaziland Variety Release Committee) in March 1990. It is suitable for both malting and brewing. Commercial seed is available from the Swazi-American (Etsala PH1) Seeds, Mbabane, Swaziland.

Origin and development

MRS 94 is originally a kafir germplasm line identified as IS 3693. From ICRISAT Asia Center (IAC), it was re-introduced into the southern African region by the Southern African Development Community (SADQ/ICRISAT Sorghum and Millet Improvement Project  (SMTP), and indexed as SDS 1594. For two seasons, it was observed together with other lines, in observation breeding nurseries at Malkerns Research Station in Swaziland. Individual head-row selections were made f r om the line bulks. Seed was increased during the 1985 and 1986 off-seasons and evaluated in a preliminary yield trial in 1985/86, in an advanced yield trial in 1986/87, and in multilocational national elite variety trials in 1987/88-1988/89. In winter 1988, singleplant progenies f r om the selected lines were sown for uniqueness purification tests, and certification by the Swaziland Seed Quality Control authorities, and the Swaziland Seed Multiplication Project. They were then bulked separately to comprise MRS 94. The varieties were finally evaluated in 1989/90-1991/92, under both on-station and on-farm conditions in six agroecological environments. Synonyms SDS 1594-1, SDSV 1594, MRS 94. Performance

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