Conserved gene regulatory networks underpin nitrogen metabolism across plants, with dynamic and species-specific rewiring in maize and sorghum during rapid nitrogen deprivation and recovery, revealing key transcriptional regulators that shape nitrogen use efficiency and sustainable crop productivity.
Integrative Molecular and Physiological Mechanisms Underlying Drought Tolerance in Sorghum
Drought tolerance in sorghum arises from coordinated molecular, biochemical, and physiological mechanisms, including elevated osmoprotectant levels, enhanced antioxidant defenses, and activation of ABA-dependent bZIP transcription factors that collectively maintain cellular stability and promote resilience under water stress.
Salt-Tolerant Phosphorus-Solubilizing Fungi Enhance Nutrient Availability and Plant Performance in Saline Soils
Salt-tolerant phosphorus-solubilizing fungi enhance plant nutrition and stress resilience in saline soils through organic acid–mediated P mobilization, antifungal metabolite production, and adaptive physiological mechanisms, highlighting their potential as biofertilizers pending field validation.
Integrated Cytological and Multi-Omics Analysis Reveals Phenylpropanoid-Mediated Regulation of Leaf Angle Formation in Sorghum
Leaf angle formation in sorghum is driven by coordinated changes in auricle cell development, phenylpropanoid-mediated lignin biosynthesis, and associated gene expression, collectively shaping plant architecture for improved light capture.
Stem-Preferred Gene Regulation and Meristematic Origins Underlying Transcriptional Specificity in Sorghum
A genome-wide analysis of sorghum revealed that stems possess relatively few organ-specific genes due to their meristematic origins, with two KNOX-like transcription factors, SbTALE03 and SbTALE04, emerging as key stem-preferred regulators and promising tools for targeted engineering supported by regulatory and network evidence.
Rp2: A Novel Rust Resistance Locus from Sudanese Sorghum for Broadening Genetic Diversity in U.S. Breeding Programs
By unlocking rare, evolutionarily conserved rust resistance locus from the Sudanese sorghum core collection, this work bridges global germplasm diversity with modern breeding, revealing Rp2 locus is a tractable genomic entry point for stacking durable, multi-disease resistance and strengthening the genetic resilience of U.S. sorghum improvement.
Genetic Architecture and Co-Localized QTL Underlying Plant Height and Brix Content in Sorghum
Genetic modeling and high-density QTL mapping reveal that sorghum plant height and brix content are governed by interacting major genes and polygenes, share co-localized loci that explain their phenotypic correlation, and are influenced by auxin- and carbon-fixation–related candidate genes that offer targets for breeding improved varieties.
Integrated Physiological and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Sorghum Responses to Alkali Stress
Liu et al. found that though alkali stress disrupts growth, osmotic balance, and cellular stability in sorghum, the tolerant genotype Z14 counters these effects through stronger antioxidant defenses, enhanced osmotic regulation and rapid activation of stress-responsive genes and signaling pathways.
WRKY76–miR528–SOD2 Regulatory Module Governs Submergence Tolerance in Sorghum
Sorghum submergence tolerance is governed by a WRKY76–miR528–SOD2 regulatory module that controls oxidative stress responses, revealing key molecular targets for improving crop resilience to flooding.
Genetic Dissection of Root Architectural Traits in Ethiopian Sorghum Landraces Reveals Key Loci for Drought Resilience
Multi-locus GWAS of Ethiopian sorghum landraces revealed extensive genetic variation and key candidate genes underlying root architectural traits, providing valuable targets for breeding drought-resilient, water-efficient sorghum cultivars.