Sorghum Bicolor Research Articles (Page 10)

Leachate from uncontrolled dumpsites can contaminate groundwater with heavy metals, posing significant health risks. Hence, the objective of this study was to investigate the physicochemical characteristics and heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Pb, Hg, Fe, Cu) levels in soil and plants (Colocasia esculenta, Sorghum bicolor, Anthaenata villosa and Stachytarpheta sp.) from dumpsites in Onne, Rivers State, Nigeria over a period of 12 months between May 2022 and May 2023. Bioaccumulation factors revealed that some plant species Stachytarpheta sp., with BAF values exceeding 1 for Cd and Cr, had the potential to accumulate these heavy metals. The results from this study for nitrate, sulphate, and phosphate in soil ranged from 0.62 – 2.29 mg/kg, 1.77 -5.73 mg/kg and 3.55 – 9.33 mg/kg respectively. Lead, iron, cadmium, manganese, chromium ranged from 0.24 - 2.76 mg/kg, 82.46 - 150.26 mg/kg, <0.01 - 3.83 mg/kg, 0.04 - 3.47 mg/kg, 0.25 – 3.86 mg/kg respectively and mercury was below detection limits in all soil samples. The acidic soil conditions and presence of heavy metals in both soil and plants underscore the need for effective waste management practices to mitigate environmental pollution and protect human health. This study underscores the urgent need for proper waste management practices to mitigate environmental pollution and protect public health in the region.

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench), a key staple in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, is increasingly challenged by climate variability. In India, post-rainy sorghum remains a vital food and fodder crop. In alignment with the ICRISAT post-rainy sorghum product profile, this study characterized sorghum parental lines for key traits associated with drought adaptation in pot using the dry-down experiment. The atmospheric drought experiments revealed significant genotypic variation in transpiration rate (TR) under high vapor pressure deficit (VPD), with K359W showing restricted TR and R16 exhibiting high TR. In soil drought trials, transpiration decline began at an FTSW of 0.49 in K359W and 0.56 in R16. K359W consistently outperformed R16 in plant growth, water use, biomass, and showed higher transpiration efficiency (TE). Genotypes with greater vigor, reduced TR under high VPD, and higher TE offer strong potential for improving post-rainy sorghum drought resilience.

ABSTRACTCellulose, a major component of plant cell walls and a critical bioeconomy resource, is synthesized by cellulose synthase complexes (CSCs). Understanding the assembly and function of CSCs, driven by cellulose synthase (CESA) proteins, is essential for enhancing biomass and tailoring cellulose properties for various applications. This study integrates evolutionary analysis, structural modeling, and functional data to elucidate the sequence‐structure–function relationships of CESAs. We analyzed key interface residues within plant‐conserved regions, transmembrane helices, and zinc‐finger domains, revealing functional specialization through variations among duplicated CESAs, subfamilies, and plant groups. Our findings indicate that CESA gene duplication and interface residue divergence, coupled with tissue‐specific and environment‐dependent expression and post‐translational modifications, drive CSC diversification. These alterations in CESAs may redefine CSC assembly. Heterologous expression of an evolutionarily distant CESA, such as Sorghum bicolor secondary wall CESA8 in Arabidopsis, may favor the formation of exogenous homomeric CSCs, leading to increased cellulose synthesis and enhanced plant growth. This increase in cellulose synthesis is associated with pectin demethylation, a process known to promote plant cell expansion. Based on these findings and previous studies, we propose a working model for enhanced biomass production. In this model, interface alterations in CESAs redefine CSC assembly, allowing overexpressed CESAs to form homomeric complexes that enhance cellulosic biomass production.

Studies have shown that adding modified food hydrocolloids as gluten replacement in gluten-free products could be associated with an increase in cost of production and loss of some health-benefitting qualities. In this study, the effects of adding two natural hydrocolloid sources—Brachystegia eurycoma (BE) and Detarium microcarpum (DM)—and a modified hydrocolloid, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (SCMC), on the physicochemical, antioxidant, and digestive-enzyme-inhibitory properties (including pancreatic lipase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase) of Sorghum bicolor (SB) flour were evaluated. Each of BE, DM and SCMC was blended with SB at 2 and 4% proportions. The blends’ peak and final viscosities increased, while their starch content decreased significantly with an increasing BE and DM addition. Blends of SB with either BE or DM had higher polyphenolics (total phenol, tannins, and total flavonoids) levels, and stronger antioxidant and digestive-enzyme-inhibitory activities than the blend of SB with SCMC. Among the blends, SB+BE had the highest polyphenolics level and the most potent antioxidant and digestive-enzyme-inhibitory capacity. The blends’ pasting attributes were significantly correlated with the polyphenolic’s levels. The blends’ polyphenolics levels were also correlated with their antioxidant and digestive-enzyme-inhibitory capacities. Hence, blending SB with either BE or DM may be a low-cost approach for developing a gluten-free flour, while retaining its antioxidant and digestive-enzyme-inhibitory qualities.

Phenotypic variability analysis of key sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L) moench) genotypes under dry lowland areas

SUMMARYThe timing of flowering is determined by a complex genetic architecture integrating signals from a diverse set of external and internal stimuli and plays a key role in determining plant fitness and adaptation. However, significant divergence in the identities and functions of many flowering time pathway components has been reported among plant species. Here, we employ a combination of genome and transcriptome wide association studies to identify genetic determinants of variation in flowering time across multiple environments in a large panel of primarily photoperiod‐insensitive sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), a major crop that has, to date, been the subject of substantially less genetic investigation than its relatives. Gene families that form core components of the flowering time pathway in other species, FT‐like and SOC1‐like genes, appear to play similar roles in sorghum, but the genes identified are not orthologous to the primary FT‐like or SOC1‐like genes that play similar roles in related species. The ageing pathway appears to play a role in determining non‐photoperiod determined variation in flowering time in sorghum. Two components of this pathway were identified in a transcriptome wide association study, while a third was identified via genome‐wide association. Our results demonstrate that while the functions of larger gene families are conserved, functional data from even closely related species is not a reliable guide to which gene copies will play roles in determining natural variation in flowering time.

Abstract Anthracnose, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum sublineola, is an economically important disease of sorghum [(Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] in warm and humid regions of Ethiopia. Frequent screening for resistance sources and the development of resistant varieties is crucial for disease management, but achieving resistance has been challenging due to the high variability of the pathogen. A total of 358 Ethiopian sorghum landraces were evaluated to identify anthracnose resistance and other desirable agronomic traits under natural infestation in the field and inoculation of plants in the greenhouse. Field evaluations were conducted at Asosa, Bako, Jimma, and Haramaya in Ethiopia for two growing seasons. Greenhouse screening was performed at Purdue University using a mixture of five strains of C. sublineola. Under field conditions, area under disease progress curve was used to determine anthracnose disease severity. In addition, major agronomic traits such as panicle weight, panicle yield, grain yield, and thousand‐grain weight were recorded. Combined analysis of variance revealed highly significant (p < 0.01) differences among accessions, locations, and genotype‐by‐environment interactions for disease parameters and agronomic traits. We identified 71 accessions showing consistent resistance, developing disease severity levels between 12% and 30% across locations. The analysis of greenhouse multi‐strain screenings also revealed significant genetic variation with 33 accessions exhibiting resistant reactions without showing any disease symptoms. Overall, 55 accessions showed resistant reactions to anthracnose both under fields and greenhouse evaluations. The accessions with low anthracnose severity and high grain yield with desirable traits are valuable for future sorghum improvement programs.

Understanding genetic diversity is crucial for effective sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) breeding. The objective of this study was to evaluate morphological diversity of sorghum genotypes for yield contributing traits under stress conditions, in different agro-ecologies in Zimbabwe. A field experiment was conducted at three sites (Gwebi Research Centre - high rainfall; Kwekwe Research Centre - moderate rainfall and Makoholi Research Centre - low rainfall); during the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 cropping seasons in Zimbabwe. The eleven genotypes were laid out in a randomised complete block design, with three replications. Combined analysis of variance revealed significant differences (P<0.05) in most grain yield contributing parameters; highlighting substantial genetic diversity. Both northern leaf blight and sorghum sooty stripe were significant (P<0.05) at Gwebi site, a disease hot spot site. Grain yield, and plant width exhibited high (>20%) genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation, heritability (>60%) and genetic advance as a percentage of the mean (>20%) across sites; suggesting strong genetic control. Gwebi research centre, the site with favourable climate, demonstrated higher grain yields; while the drier sites (Makoholi Research Centre) favoured drought-resilience traits, such as shorter plant height and early maturity. Disease resistance traits were significant under humid conditions (Gwebi site), but not-significant in arid environments (Kwekwe and Makoholi); thus underscoring the need for site-targeted selection strategies.

Discerning phenological and morphological traits influenced by different agrometeorological indices in Sorghum bicolor L. under salt stress

Endemic wild Sorghum species are prevalent across northern Australia and could be useful for crop improvement; however, few studies have been done to quantify the phenotypic diversity of this tertiary gene pool. We aimed to assess the interactive effects of genotype and water availability in three wild Sorghum species native to northern Australia and compare these to domesticated sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). Two accessions of wild Sorghum plumosum, Sorghum stipoideum, and Sorghum timorense, sourced from more and less arid regions, were grown alongside a S. bicolor line under well-watered or drought conditions for 4 weeks. We measured biomass, root:shoot ratio, chlorophyll a:b ratio, and concentrations of chlorophyll. The concentration of phenolics and cyanogenic glucosides were also measured to see if there were any differences in the concentration of specialized metabolites, as this is of particular importance for grazing. Low soil moisture ("drought") significantly impacted the biomass, root:shoot ratio, and chemical composition of S. bicolor, but the effects on the wild accessions were minimal and mostly not significant. This is potentially a consequence of their adaptation to harsh conditions in northern Australia. In each of the wild study species, genotype effects (i.e., between accessions) were greater than treatment effects, indicating intraspecific diversity. Wild Sorghum is a potential source of novel traits that could be helpful in further enhancing the ability of S. bicolor to tolerate hot and dry conditions. Further research into traits conferring drought tolerance in Sorghum without compromising yield is needed.

H3K36me3 regulates subsets of photosynthesis genes in Sorghum bicolor potentially by counteracting H3K27me3 or H2A.Z.

Sorghum bicolor polyphenol-rich supplement ameliorates chronic stress exacerbated hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis dysregulation in diabetic rats through suppression of inflammation and apoptosis

Deciphering Gene–microRNA Interactions in the Flowering of Sorghum bicolor

Sorghum grain (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) grown in a temperate climate was used as a feedstock for bioethanol production. Mixed cultures of Zymomonas mobilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were used for fermentation under the conditions and parameters established through the design of experiments (DOE, 2(K-p) standard design). The most effective parameters for the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of the liquefied and granular starch fermentation methods were selected. Analyses revealed that the granular starch fermentation method (with Stargen 002) combined with mixed cultures yielded higher bioethanol by about an average of 5% compared to single cultures. Distillates obtained in fermentations with mixed cultures were investigated qualitatively and quantitatively for particular volatile byproducts. Distillates from fermentation with mixed cultures contained higher amounts of volatile byproducts (9.04-11.38 g/L) than single bacterial cultures (4.10-6.68 g/L) but less than single yeast cultures (9.27-13.14 g/L). These findings indicate the potential of mixed cultures in granular starch fermentation, at the same time suggesting that challenges such as selecting microbial consortia, accelerating the process, and ensuring consistent yields must be solved for widespread industrial application.

The global demand for renewable energy continues to rise as countries transition from fossil fuels to more sustainable alternatives in response to climate change and energy security concerns. Among various bioenergy sources, high-biomass sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) presents promising potential due to its adaptability, rapid growth, and high biomass yield. This study evaluates the agroclimatic suitability of biomass sorghum in West Java, Indonesia, using the CLIMEX modeling framework to simulate ecoclimatic parameters and growth indices under local climatic conditions. Results show that most regions in West Java—particularly the northern lowlands—exhibit high Ecoclimatic Index (EI) values ranging from 87 to 93, indicating highly favorable conditions for sorghum cultivation. Weekly Growth Index (GIw) simulations reveal optimal growing conditions during the dry season, while certain highland and southern areas face mild limitations during the wet season due to excess rainfall or lower temperatures. Although West Java is broadly suitable for sorghum cultivation, extreme climatic variability—such as heat stress or episodic heavy rainfall—may pose localized challenges to yield stability. These findings provide a scientific foundation for region-specific bioenergy planning and contribute to the strategic development of biomass-based renewable energy in Indonesia.Keywords: Sorghum biomass, CLIMEX, Ecoclimatic Index, Bioenergy, Climate modeling, West Java

In the Central Plains of the United States (US), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is predominantly grown as a monocrop, limiting profits, and compromising environmental sustainability. In the context of recent reports on crop yield stagnation and the increased frequency and intensity of climate extremes, this study aims to i) evaluate the economic feasibility of double cropping sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) with winter wheat; ii) identify regional environmental drivers for yield; and iii) map the spatial distribution of the most profitable crop sequences. The APSIM classic model was used to simulate the baseline wheat and sorghum monocrops and the diversified crop sequence (sorghum-wheat) over 30 years of climatology (1990 to 2020), across 194 sites in Kansas, United States. Each site was characterized in APSIM, with the predominant soil type and current farming crop management practices. Using terciles of historical input costs for all crop sequences we calculated three cost scenarios low, intermediate, and high. A fuzzy-C means algorithm was used to classify regions based on crop sequences' profits, resulting in four clusters. Results included two regions where sorghum-wheat was more profitable than the monocrops i.e., one with lower profits (S+W lower), and a second one with higher profits (S+W higher); a third cluster where wheat monocrop was most profitable (W), and lastly one cluster showing no difference between the sorghum-wheat sequence and the wheat monocrop (S+W or W). Principal component analyses were used to identify environmental drivers of profit in each cluster. Results showed that the profitability of the sorghum-wheat sequence was higher in counties in the south-east and south-central of Kansas. Wheat monocrops were the most profitable option for counties of the west and central regions. Counties from the north-east of the state showed similar patterns amongst scenarios. These results highlight potential avenues for diversifying and intensifying the current wheat monocrop sequence while maintaining or increasing profitability. Lastly, this study delineates a map in Kansas with areas where it would be more profitable for farmers to expand their rotations by adding a second crop per year.

Hyperspectral imaging has been used to determine plant stress status. However, the biological interpretation of the spectral changes remain less explored. This can be addressed by building associations between stress-induced biochemical changes and variations in spectral reflectance. To this end, we tested spectral response of sorghum brown midrib (bmr) mutants under varying water stress levels using hyperspectral imaging (650–1650 nm). The bmr mutants have reduced lignin concentrations in their vegetative tissue which was reflected as spectral differences. Under water stress, the spectral signatures diverged more between the wildtype and mutants compared to control conditions. The genotype-dependent variation in spectral trends under water limitation was associated with differential sensitivity of the genotypes to water-limitation induced changes in energy density. We show that the energy density and relative water content of the plant tissue can be estimated accurately from spectral reflectance. To reduce the computational load, LASSO was used to obtain 22 wavelengths across the camera spectral range (650–1650 nm) in dried samples, to accurately predict energy density comparable to PLSR estimates. The reported wavelengths represent a useful screening tool for fast and reliable calorimetric estimations in bioenergy breeding programs.

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) is a cereal with high starch content. However, natural (native) starch still has many weaknesses in its characteristics. One way to improve it is to modify the starch to have good characteristics and increase its functional value. Physical modification of starch is often used to enhance the properties of natural (native) starch. The starch modification technique with microwave heating and cooling is one of the physical methods that can improve starch characteristics. This study aimed to determine the effect of microwave exposure time and cooling time on the physicochemical characteristics of modified white sorghum starch. This research used a completely randomized design (CRD) with 2 factors and 3 replications. The first treatment is microwave exposure time (2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes), and the second is cooling time (12 hours, 24 hours, 36 hours). Treatments with significant effect were further tested with the DMRT (Duncan's Multiple Range Test) 5%. The results showed that the best treatment in the sample was modified sorghum starch treated with microwave exposure time of 4 minutes and cooling time of 12 hours which had physicochemical characteristics of moisture content of 8.27%, ash content of 0.78%, starch content of 69.13%, amylose 32.41%, amylopectin of 36.70%, viscosity of 4.97 mPas, swelling power of 27.59 g/g, solubility of 10.68%. Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):SDG 2: Zero HungerSDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and InfrastructureSDG 12: Responsible Consumption and ProductionSDG 13: Climate Action

Silicon application shows potential for enhancing crop resistance to pests while improving productivity. This study evaluated silicon's effects on agronomic traits and chemical composition of biomass sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) under aphid infestation (Melanaphis sorghi (Theobald, 1904) (Hemiptera: Aphididae)). Greenhouse-grown sorghum (hybrid BRS716) was treated with silicic acid (0, 2, 4, or 6 metric tons per hectare), applied at sowing and the five-leaf stage. Aphid-infested plants were monitored weekly for damage, alongside growth measurements (height, stem diameter, leaf retention). Post-harvest, fresh, and dry biomass were analyzed via near-infrared spectroscopy and chemical assays. Data were assessed using ANOVA and regression models. Results demonstrated that silicon reduced aphid infestation and damage at 6 metric tons per hectare. Silicon also increased cellulose content and improved phosphorus and calcium uptake, though nitrogen and potassium levels decreased. These findings suggest that silicon supplementation can strengthen sorghum's natural defenses, enhance biomass production, and modify nutrient profiles. This approach offers a sustainable strategy to mitigate aphid damage while maintaining crop yield and quality, with potential applications in integrated pest management systems.

Morphological and Molecular Identification of Culturable Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) Associated with Pternandra azurea from Martabe Batang Toru Forest, North Sumatra, Indonesia