To produce large amounts of biomass, EU conform energy plants are needed, such as sorghum. The most important factor is the highest ethanol yield per area which depends on high productivity, starch content and quality, starch/protein ratio in grain crop. We have sown own single cross sorghum hybrids in 2008 in the experimental garden of the Institute of Horticulture. Our aim was to determine the heterosis and heterobeltiosis of hybrids produced by low input technology from the aspects of starch, protein and thousand kernel weights. We examined the correlation between the nutritional values. The analysis was carried out by a DA 7200 diode array NIR spectrometer. We have performed correlation studies between nutritional values.

The starch contents of single cross hybrids varied between 48.37% and 62.63% in the case of the examined parameters. We have found significant differences between hybrids. The protein content ranged between 9.43–17.7% and the highest value was observed in the case of SL1xRL10. A negative correlation was found between the starch and protein content (r=-0.9412***). The mean value of the best lines was not exceeded by any of the hybrids, thus, a negative heterosis was found. As for of starch content, positive mean and absolute heterosis effects were found in the case of all hybrids.

The average heterosis (1.9%) was positive from the aspect starch. In the case of thousand kernel weight, the average heterosis 29.09% was positive, whereas the heterobeltiosis was also positive.

Keywords: sorghum hybrids, heterosis, heterobeltiosis, starch content, protein content