Research Highlights

Researchers investigated 75 lines of sweet sorghum for phenotypic and genetic variability and found significant differences, which present opportunities for heterotic cross-breeding.

Scientists identified 18 sorghum JAZ genes that have critical functions in the JA signaling pathway and analyzed their promoter regions to identify stress-related cis-acting regulatory elements and transcription factors.

Wu et al. investigated the underlying genetic mechanism behind low HCN content in sorghum and screened 11 simple sequence repeats (SSR) polymorphic primers and, using bulked segregant analysis (BSA), developed four SSR markers associated with low HCN content.

Huang et al. investigated the role of phytohormones in host plant resistance to aphid attack and found that phytohormones play a positive role in plant defense against aphids.

Using gene expressions and co-expression analysis, the researchers found a regulatory factor, the gene SbDof21, which was found to be a highly expressed DOF gene in grains, on chromosome 5 in sorghum.

Current technology allows for the identification of the transcriptome expression profile in the plant cells and the use of liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) technology to investigate the sorghum plant’s metabolites and proteins, providing more information to connect the plant’s genotype and phenotype.

Leaf senescence is the final stage of leaf development. During leaf senescence, nutrients accumulated in mature leaves are broken down and transported to reproductive organs or actively growing young tissues. This process causes reduced photosynthesis, which impacts yield to most

Researchers used the Sorghum Association Panel (SAP), as well as some additional lines, to pinpoint new genomic regions connected to resistance to the sorghum aphid.

Zhang et al. investigated the molecular features of nine SbPht1 genes that are expressed in response to phosphorus deficiency in sorghum and found that some of these genes are specifically involved in phosphorus uptake and transport in response to low-phosphorus stress.

Kumar et al. performed an in-depth analysis of K+ transport genes in Sorghum bicolor demonstrating that K+ transport genes play an integral part in the growth and development of the plant.