The Center for Sorghum Improvement (CSI) will host a virtual Global Conference Announcement and SorghumBase seminar on Tuesday, February 10 at 10:45 AM CT. The meeting will begin with announcements and the seminar will start at 11:00 AM CT. Nick Gladman, Andrew Olson and Doreen Ware will speak on behalf of SorghumBase with their talk, “SorghumBase: a central KnowledgeBase for Sorghum Stakeholders.”
Machine Learning–Enabled GWAS Dissects the Genetic Architecture of Grain Mold Resistance in Sorghum
Machine learning–driven GWAS reveals novel candidate genes and pathways underlying the complex, polygenic architecture of grain mold resistance in sorghum.
Identification, Evolutionary Analysis, and Stress-Responsive Roles of the Dirigent (DIR) Gene Family in Sorghum bicolor
Liu et al. systematically identified and characterized 53 DIR genes in Sorghum bicolor, revealing their evolutionary diversification, tissue-specific expression, and key roles in lignin biosynthesis and abiotic stress tolerance, with SbDIR39 and SbDIR53 highlighted as promising targets for crop improvement.
Identification of a Novel Grain Size QTL and Candidate Gene in Sorghum Through Integrated BSA-Seq and RNA-Seq Analysis
Scientists identified a novel grain size QTL (qGS1) in sorghum and proposed Sobic.001G230700 as a candidate gene using integrated BSA-Seq and RNA-Seq analyses, advancing the genetic understanding of yield-related traits.
Genetic Dissection of Dwarfing Traits in Sorghum: Characterization of Dw1–Dw3 and Insights into Polygenic Regulation of Plant Height
This study elucidates the genetic architecture of sorghum plant height by characterizing major dwarfing genes (Dw1–Dw3), revealing their additive effects, allelic diversity, and the potential role of undiscovered minor-effect loci in shaping dwarf phenotypes.
PAG33 Highlights: Advancing Genomic Resources, FAIR Data, and Crop Trait Discovery
The International Plant and Animal Genome conference (PAG33) took place on January 9-14, 2026 in San Diego, California. The meeting focused on fostering an opportunity to exchange ideas and share recent developments and future plans for plant & animal genome projects through technical presentations, poster sessions, exhibits and workshops. This conference brought together over 3000 leading plant and animal scientists and researchers, and over 100 exhibits, 200 workshops, 700 posters.
Guard Cell-Targeted TOR Expression Enhances Drought Tolerance and Water Use Efficiency in Arabidopsis
Guard cell-specific expression of AtTOR enhances drought tolerance and water use efficiency in Arabidopsis by reducing transpirational water loss while maintaining or improving photosynthetic performance through modulation of stomatal function and ABA-related signaling pathways.
Uncovering Novel Regulators of Flowering Time in Temperate-Adapted Sorghum Through Integrated Genomic and Transcriptomic Analyses
Researchers identified novel genetic regulators of flowering time in temperate-adapted, photoperiod-insensitive sorghum using expanded genome-wide and transcriptome-wide association analyses, revealing key roles for FT, MADS-box, and ageing pathway genes beyond the classical maturity loci.
Meristem Diversity and Innovation in Cereal Crops: Implications for Architecture, Stress Resilience, and Improvement
This review highlights how cereal-specific meristems, such as those in sorghum, contribute to complex plant architectures and offer new targets for crop improvement through advanced genomic tools.
Three-Part Data Reproducibility Workshop Series! February 9-11, 2026 9:00 AM PST / 12:00 PM EST
The Data Management and Infrastructure and Single-Cell Sequencing committees of the Plant Cell Atlas are organizing a workshop series that aims to equip participants with essential skills and knowledge to achieve the critical goal of ensuring data reproducibility in single-cell research,