Growth Of Sorghum Research Articles

Microbial Biostimulants and Compost as Indicator of Improving Soil Biological Properties and Growth of Sorghum under Saline Stress

Microbial Biostimulants and Compost as Indicator of Improving Soil Biological Properties and Growth of Sorghum under Saline Stress

Effect of Potassium Silicate Spray and Water Stress on Yield and Yield Components of Sorghum

A field experiment was carried out for the year 2021-2022 at Al Buaitha Research Station of the College of Agriculture - Anbar University, to study the effect of potassium silicate and water stress on the growth and yield of sorghum. The experiment was carried out using a Split-Plot arrangement according to the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The main plots included irrigation intervals (I1, irrigated every 4 days; I2, irrigated every 8 days; and I3, irrigated every 12 days), while the concentrations of potassium silicate fertilizer (250 S1, 500 S2, and 750 S3 ml liter−1 of distilled water), in addition to the control treatment S0, which was sprayed with distilled water only, allocated to the sub-plots. The results showed a significant effect of water stress treatments I1 and I2 on the average traits of head length, number of seeds per head, grain yield, and biological yield (26.20, 1920, 6.34, and 15.30 respectively). while, the treatments of potassium silicate fertilization S2 and S3 had a significant effect on the head length, number of seeds per head, grain yield, and biological yield (26.56, 1968, 6.12, and 14.63 respectively). The results also showed a significant interaction effect between the two study factors of I2S2, I1S2, I2S0, and I1S0 on the same traits (27.17, 2052, 6.52, and 16.32 respectively).

Effect of Seed Priming Duration with Bio-Stimulator (Appetizer) on Germination Characteristics and Seedling Emergence of Sorghum

Two factorial experiments were conducted. One of them was laboratory experiment which was carried out at the Laboratory of Agricultural Engineering Sciences College, University of Baghdad during 2023. The other was conducted at the lath house with used the pots during spring season of 2023. The aim was to investigate the effect of seed priming duration with bio-stimulator (Appetizer) on germination characteristics and seedling emergence of Sorghum. The design of Lab. experiment was (CRD) while for the other experiment was (RCBD) with four replications. Each experiment consisted of two factors. The first factor included seeds priming treatments with bio-stimulator (Appetizer) concentrations (1, 2 and 3) ml l-1 and seeds soaking in distilled water, in addition to unsoaked seeds treatment (dry seed). The second factor was included seeds priming periods that is (8,16 and 24) h in room temperature. The results of Laboratory experiment showed that sorghum seeds primed with appetizer concentrations 3 ml l-1 gave highest averages of germination percentage in the first count, germination percentage in the final count, radical length, plumule length, seedling dry weight and seedling vigour index. While the comparision treatment (dry seed) gave the lowest averages for these characteristics and the priming period (24h) gave highest averages of germination percentage in the first count, germination percentage in the final count, radical length, plumule length, seedling dry weight and seedling vigour index. The results showed that iteration between the factors (seeds priming treatments with Appetizer and seed priming duration ) has significant effect in most characterstics. The results of pots experiment showed that sorghum seeds primed with appetizer concentrations 3 ml l-1 gave highest averages of emergence percentage in the first count and emergence percentage in the final count. The priming period (24h) gave highest averages of emergence percentage in the first count and emergence percentage in the final count.

Screening of Cadmium-Resistant Microbes to Improve the Tolerance of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench Against Cadmium

To improve the cadmium (Cd) resistance and the remediation ability of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, fourteen Cd-resistant bacteria were screened from cadmium-contaminated soil, together with two strains preserved in the laboratory. It was found that 3 strains (ZR451, ZR452, and ZJSH1) significantly promoted the growth of Cd-stressed S. bicolor in hydroponics and mitigated Cd toxicity to plants, and SR8, ZRK1, and ZR211 promoted sorghum growth lightly. Further studies indicated that strains SR8, ZR211, and ZJSH1 were Cd-resistant and acid-resistant strains. Strains ZR211and ZR121 significantly produced two hormones (SA and GA), ZJSH1 significantly produced IAA and SA, and strains SR8, ZR451 and ZR452 produced one hormone. Strains SR8, ZR451, ZR452, and ZJSH1 produced siderophores. In addition, strain ZJSH1fixed nitrogen and produced ACC deaminase, while ZR451 and ZJSH1 solubilized phosphorus Correlation analysis showed that the Cd resistance of the strains was significantly and positively correlated with their IAA and GA production. The screening of the three cadmium resistant strains ZJSH1 (Sphingomonas paucimobilis), ZR451 (Bacillus cereus) and ZR452 (Bacillus cereus) provided bacterial resources for the efficient remediation of Cd-contaminated soils by bacterial - S. bicolor combination.

Response Water Productivity and Sorghum Yield to Deficit Irrigation Under Surface Drip Irrigation System

A field experiment was conducted during the spring season of 2022 in a clay loam soil at the experimental station of the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad - Al-Jadriya, in order to study the effect of deficit irrigation on the growth and productivity of Sorghum, using the surface drip irrigation system, the experiment included irrigation treatments with six levels of full irrigation treatment FI100 When 50% of the available water is depleted, it is compensated by the American evaporation basin class A, from which the deficit irrigation treatments 80, 70, 60, 50, and 40% of the complete irrigation were applied, using the RCBD with three replications. The treatments were applied during the included plant growth stages (vegetative growth, flowering and maturity). Crop growth indicators were measured at the end of the season. Sorghum seeds were sown on 3-13-2022 and harvested on 7-15-2022. The results showed that the seasonal water consumption of corn reached its highest value when the full irrigation treatment was 487.24 mm when 50% of the available water was depleted, then it decreased to 413.59, 376.94, 340.29, 303.63, and 266.98 mm for the deficit irrigation treatments (80, 70, 60, 50, and 40%) calculated from the control treatment (FI%100). Irrigation treatment (FI 100%) gave the highest values for average plant height, leaf area, chlorophyll content, total root dry weight and yield. Water consumption amounted to 413.59 and 376.94 mm compared to the full irrigation treatment, while the treatments (60, 50 and 40) % of the full irrigation were superior in that they saved an amount of water at the expense of low crop productivity. The highest water productivity was recorded at two irrigation treatments minus 80 and 70% for the Sorghum bicolorcrop. It amounted to 13.71 and 15.13 kg m3, as the lack of 20 and 30% of the irrigation water did not affect the productivity. It is recommended to irrigate at a rate of 80 and 70% of the total ETa, which indicates the possibility of providing 20 and 30% of the full irrigation needs without affecting the grain yield.

The Effect of Pruning and Growing Media Composition on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Propagation

The symbiosis of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi with plants is the oldest symbiosis in the world. The obligate nature of mycorrhizal fungi in symbiotic relationships is believed to underlie its enduring presence to this day. The application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) based fertilizers has become increasingly common. Spores are the most important organs that determine the quality of AMF-based fertilizers, along with AMF colonization in the roots. The production of AMF spores is greatly influenced by plant physiology, including photosynthesis processes affected by canopy abundance, as well as the type of planting medium, which determines plant root growth and AMF habitat. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of pruning and planting medium composition on AMF infection and spore production in AMF propagation using sorghum as the host plant. The pruning levels tested were at one, two, and three months after germination, and thereafter, each plant was maintained for 136 days after planting (DAP). The tested planting medium composition was the ratio between zeolite and compost in five different compositions: (v/v) 1) 100:0, 2) 90:10, 3) 70:30, and 4) 50:50. The chemical characteristic of compost used was contained 15.5% C, 1.49% N, 2.54% P2O5, 1.49% K2O, pH 6.6, and some microelements such as Cr, Fe, Zn, and Mn at 5.2 ppm, 5961 ppm, 294 ppm, and 199 ppm, respectively. The Sukabumi‘s zeolite used had a size of 2-3 mm. Propagation of AM fungal spores was carried out using polybags containing 10 kg of medium according to the treatment. Plant maintenance was carried out by alternating between watering with water and Johnson nutrient solution. Watering was performed until the plants were 120 days old, and subsequently, no watering was done until 136 days after planting. The observed parameters were the development of AMF spore numbers until a 4.5-month incubation period. The results showed that pruning time can affect spore production if the plant has reached a certain vegetative age, which is three months for sorghum. Additionally, adding 10% compost to zeolite medium can enhance spore formation, even though sorghum growth may not be at its maximum in this medium composition.

NPK Fertilizer Test and Plant Population on The Growth And Years of Sorgum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)

This study aims to determine the effect of NPK fertilizer dose and plant population on the growth and yield of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench).The design that was carried out was a Complete Randomized Block Design (RAKL) Factorial consisting of NPK fertilizer dose treatment with four levels and the second-factor Spacing with two levels, so there are eight treatment combinations repeated four times. The data obtained were analyzed by analysis of variance and to find out significant differences continued with Duncan's Multiple Range Test with a significant level of 5%. The results showed that the fertilizer dose treatment had a significant effect on plant height and seed weight per panicle, the plant population treatment had no significant effect on all observed parameters, and the combination of fertilizer dose and population treatments had no significant effect on all observed parameters. The treatment with a fertilizer dose of 300 kg/ha produced the highest seed weight per panicle of 91.79 gr, and the lowest fertilizer dose of 150 kg/ha produced a seed weight per panicle of 71.95 gr.

Increasing yield of several varieties of zero-tillage sorghum through additive intercropping with soybean on permanent raised-beds

Sorghum is getting popular because of its potential use as food, feed, and bio-ethanol production. However, there are competing interests for growing sorghum because rice and maize are two most important crops in Indonesia, so intercropping could be a solution. This study aimed to examine the effects of additive intercropping several varieties of sorghum with soybean grown during a dry season on permanent raised-beds mostly used to grow rice. The experiment was established on farmers’ paddy fields in West Lombok (Indonesia) from June to September 2022, which was arranged according to Split Plot design, with two treatment factors, namely sorghum varieties (V1= Numbu, V2= Samurai-1, V3= Super-1) and intercropping (I0= monocropped sorghum, I1= additive intercropping with soybean). The results indicated that additive intercropping with soybean relay-planted between rows of sorghum significantly increased growth and yield of sorghum but sorghum varieties showed significant differences only in weight of 100 grains. However, there was a significant interaction effect on leaf number prior to anthesis and at seed filling stage and growth rate of leaf number. Among the varieties, Numbu showed a significant and highest increase (16%, equivalent to 477 kg/ha) in dry grain yield due to additive intercropping with soybean.

Melatonin enhances salt tolerance in sorghum by modulating photosynthetic performance, osmoregulation, antioxidant defense, and ion homeostasis.

Melatonin is a potent antioxidant that can prevent plant damage caused by adverse stresses. It remains unclear whether exogenous melatonin can mitigate the effects of salt stress on seed germination and seedling growth of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench). The aim of this study was to decipher the protective mechanisms of exogenous melatonin (100 μmol/L) on sorghum seedlings under NaCl-induced salt stress (120 mmol/L). Plant morphological, photosynthetic, and physiological characteristics were analyzed at different timepoints after sowing. Results showed that salt stress inhibited seed germination, seedling growth, and plant biomass accumulation by reducing photosynthetic pigment contents, photosynthetic efficiency, root vigor, and mineral uptake. In contrast, seed priming with melatonin enhanced photosynthetic pigment biosynthesis, photosynthetic efficiency, root vigor, and K+ content under salt stress. Melatonin application additionally enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione reductase) and increased the levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants (reduced glutathione, ascorbic acid) in the leaves. These changes were accompanied by increase in the leaf contents of soluble sugars, soluble proteins, and proline, as well as decrease in hydrogen peroxide accumulation, malondialdehyde content, and electrolyte leakage. Our findings indicate that exogenous melatonin can alleviate salt stress-induced damage in sorghum seedlings through multifaceted mechanisms, such as improving photosynthetic performance and root vigor, facilitating ion homeostasis and osmoregulation, and promoting antioxidant defense and reactive oxygen species scavenging.

Influence of potash releasing bacteria (KRB) on growth and yield of sorghum

The field experiment was conducted to ascertain the influence of Potash Releasing Bacteria (KRB) on growth and yield of sorghum for three years during Rabi 2019, 2020 and 2021 at Agricultural Research Station, Amaravathi. KRB biofertilizer was applied to the soil at the time of sowing with different levels of potash i.e. 100, 75, 50 and 25 per cent of recommended dose. Application of KRB enhanced the growth and yield of sorghum over 100 percent recommended dose of fertilizers. The highest yield was recorded in the treatment with 100% RDF with the application of KRB. Plant height (166.75cm), stem girth (2.45cm) was more in the treatment with 75% RDK+100% NP with KRB application whereas grain yield (2257) was highest in the treatment with application of KRB + 100% NPK and least in 100% NP + 25% K+ KRB (1350kg/ha). Soil N, P, K content and KRB population were increased due to application of KRB. And it was highest with application of KRB + 100% NPK and least in 100% NP + 25% K+ KRB. This study clearly showed the role of KRB in enhancing the yield of sorghum.

Influence of Dates of Sowing and Spacing on Growth and Yield of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)

The present study aimed to investigate the influence of Dates of sowing and Spacing on Growth and Yield of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.). A field experiment was carried out during Zaid season of 2022 at the Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj (U.P.) India. The treatments consist of Dates of sowing 1stfortnight June,2ndfortnight June,1stfortnight July and Spacing of S1- 20×15cm, S2- 40×15cm, S3- 60×15cm. There were 10 treatments each replicated thrice. The soil of experimental plot was sandy loamy in texture, nearly neutral in soil reaction (pH 7.8), low in organic carbon (0.35%) available N (163.42 kg/ha), available P (21.96 kg/ha) and available K (256.48 kg/ha). Results revealed that the higher plant height (207.41cm), higher plant dry weight (94.86 g/plant), higher number of Grains/ear head (1588.30), higher Test weight (14.93 gm), and higher Grain yield (5.57 t/ha) yield were significantly influenced with sowing time of 2ndfortnight June along with the spacing 40×15cm.

Trichoderma harzianum inoculation promotes sweet sorghum growth in the saline soil by modulating rhizosphere available nutrients and bacterial community.

As one of the major abiotic stresses, salinity can affect crop growth and plant productivity worldwide. The inoculation of rhizosphere or endophytic microorganisms can enhance plant tolerance to salt stresses, but the potential mechanism is not clear. In this study, Trichoderma harzianum ST02 was applied on sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] in a field trial to investigate the effects on microbiome community and physiochemical properties in the rhizosphere soil. Compared with the non-inoculated control, Trichoderma inoculation significantly increased the stem yield, plant height, stem diameter, and total sugar content in stem by 35.52%, 32.68%, 32.09%, and 36.82%, respectively. In addition, Trichoderma inoculation improved the nutrient availability (e.g., N, P, and K) and organic matter in the rhizosphere soil and changed the bacterial community structure and function in both bulk and rhizosphere soil by particularly increasing the relative abundance of Actinobacter and N-cycling genes (nifH, archaeal and bacterial amoA). We proposed that T. harzianum ST02 could promote sweet sorghum growth under saline conditions by regulating available nutrients and the bacterial community in the rhizosphere soil.

Sage leaf rock rose water extract: a bio-solution for enhancing the growth and salt stress resistance of sorghum plants.

Sorghum bicolor, a versatile cereal grain, holds significant agronomic importance globally and plays a crucial role in addressing food insecurity. However, salinity, a major abiotic stress, poses a threat to food production by reducing soil fertility and hindering plant growth and yield. In this study, we investigated the potential of Cistus salviifolius water extract (CSE) in mitigating salt stress in sorghum plants. Salt stress severely impacted plant growth, biomass, and chlorophyll production, and reduced indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) levels, which negatively affected plant development. Salt stress also led to the buildup of reactive oxygen species (ROS), hence, resulting in oxidative harm to sorghum plants and also affecting their carbon and nitrogen metabolism. On the other hand, CSE treatments increased IAA and chlorophyll content which promoted growth under stress. Furthermore, this extract exhibited strong ROS scavenging capacity and safeguarded plants against oxidative stress by enhancing the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase, and glutathione reductase) and increasing the production of osmolytes. Additionally, CSE treatments enhanced the activities of carbon/nitrogen enzymes (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, malate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, and glutamine synthase), promoting energy synthesis and crop growth. This led to a significant increase in sorghum growth in salted soil with the highest rise recorded for 5mg/L of CSE (an increase of 48.23% and 158.36% in length and weight compared to the salt control), which highlights this extract's potential as a biostimulant to enhance crop tolerance to salinity and contribute to sustainable agriculture.

Effects of gibberellic acid, kinetin and indole butyric acid mixture on sorghum salinity tolerance and grain yield in saline-alkali coastal zone.

The development and utilization of coastal saline-alkali lands hold significant importance in mitigating the shortage of cultivated land resources in China, enhancing the agro-ecological environment in coastal saline and alkaline areas, and ensuring national food security. We set up both pot and field trials (randomized block design) at Xinxiang experimental station of Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (ICS-CAAS) and Dongying Yellow River Delta Modern Agricultural Research Base in Shandong Province in 2021 and 2022, respectively. The experimental materials, Jiliang 1 and Jiliang 2, underwent seed dressing with GKI composites at concentrations of 2.5 and 5 mL·kg-1. These composites, which contained the main components of gibberellin, kinetin, and indole butyric acid, were denoted as GKI2.5 and GKI5.0, respectively. The control plots (CK) received water seed dressing. The aim was to assess the regulatory effects of GKI on salt tolerance and grain sorghum yield. Compared to CK, the GKI2.5 and GKI5.0 seed dressing treatments significantly enhanced the growth and development of the two grain sorghum varieties, increased antioxidant enzyme activity and soluble protein content of sorghum leaves, while reducing leaf malondialdehyde content. Moreover, the GKI treatments increased leaf net photosynthetic rate. Under field conditions, yields of Jiliang 1 and Jiliang 2 were enhanced by an average of 17.1% and 19.1%, respectively. In conclusion, GKI seed dressing treatment effectively promoted the growth and development of sorghum under salt stress. It enhanced the antioxidant and osmoregulatory capacities of leaves, reduced the level of membrane lipid peroxidation, and improved net photosynthetic rate of leaves, which together improved the salt tolerance and sorghum yield.

Effect Analysis of Hydrogen Peroxide Using Hyperspectral Reflectance in Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] under Drought Stress.

Due to global climate change, adverse environments like drought in agricultural production are occurring frequently, increasing the need for research to ensure stable crop production. This study was conducted to determine the effect of artificial hydrogen peroxide treatment on sorghum growth to induce stress resistance in drought conditions. Hyperspectral analysis was performed to rapidly find out the effects of drought and hydrogen peroxide treatment to estimate the physiological parameters of plants related to drought and calculate the vegetation indices through PLS analysis based on hyperspectral data. The partial least squares (PLS) analysis collected chlorophyll fluorescence variables, photosynthetic parameters, leaf water potential, and hyperspectral reflectance during the stem elongation and booting stage. To find out the effect of hydrogen peroxide treatment in sorghum plants grown under 90% and 60% of field capacity in greenhouses, growth and hyperspectral reflectance were measured on the 10th and 20th days after foliar application of H2O2 at 30 mM from 1st to 5th leaf stage. The PLS analysis shows that the maximum variable fluorescence of the dark-adapted leaves was the most predictable model with R2 = 0.76, and the estimation model suitability gradually increased with O (R2 = 0.51), J (R2 = 0.73), and P (R2 = 0.75) among OJIP parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence analysis. However, the estimation suitability of predictions for moisture-related traits, vapor pressure deficit (VPD, R2 = 0.18), and leaf water potential (R2 = 0.15) using hyperspectral data was low. The hyperspectral reflectance was 10% higher at 20 days after treatment (DAT) and 3% at 20 DAT than the non-treatment in the far red and infra-red light regions under drought conditions. Vogelmann red edge index (VOG REI) 1, chlorophyll index red edge (CIR), and red-edge normalized difference vegetation index (RE-NDVI) efficiently reflected moisture stress among the vegetation indices. Photochemical reflectance index (PRI) can be used as an indicator for early diagnosis of drought stress because hydrogen peroxide treatment showed higher values than untreated in the early stages of drought damage.

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolour (L.) Moench) growth and development features under the influence of growth regulator

There has been a growing interest in growing sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. (Moenh) as a bioenergy crop, as it can be used to produce biofuels (ethyl alcohol) and solid fuels (pellets and briquettes from the above-ground mass). Sorghum grain is characterised by a high starch content of up to 80%. The research topic is relevant but poorly understood. The research aims to study the effect of growth regulators on the growth and development of sorghum in the conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. The following research methods were used: field, measuring and weighing, mathematical and statistical. The study presents the results of research for 2016-2019, where the influence of elements of cultivation technology on the peculiarities of the formation of biometric parameters was studied. plant growth regulator had an impact on field germination, vegetation period, biometric indicators of plant growth, and leaf area. The closeness of the correlations of the studied indicators was established, and a correlation-regression analysis of the data was carried out, which showed a strong correlation between the growing season and plant height, where the coefficient was R=0.9264, and the coefficient of determination R2 =0.9864. There was also a strong relationship between stem diameter and plant height, where the correlation coefficient was R=0.9767 and the coefficient of determination was R2 =0.954. The conducted studies confirm the feasibility of using a growth regulator that improves plant development and will contribute to increasing the yield and quality of grain and biomass of sorghum. The obtained results of the research give grounds to believe that growth regulators contribute to the production of environmentally friendly products and are components of environmentally friendly and energysaving cultivation technology

Comparison between the electrical conductivity method and radicle emergence test as a rapid test of sorghum seed vigor

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) belongs to multipurpose crops. All parts of sorghum can be used both as main products and derivative products; some derivative products produced from the sorghum plant consist of sugar, bioethanol, biomass, handicraft raw materials and starch. This study aims to determine the time required for testing the vigor and viability of sorghum seeds using the electrical conductivity and radicle emergence methods. The study was conducted in two experimental stages using a completely randomized design. The first experiment consisted of two factors: the number of sorghum seeds (40, 70 and 100 grains) and the volume of soaking water (75, 100, 125, and 150 ml). The second experiment consisted of two factors: research method (germination/control method, electrical conduction method, and radicle emergence method) and varieties (consisted of Numbu, Kawali, Suri 3, and Suri 4). The first experiment's results showed that the best electrical conductivity method on Suri 4 varieties were 40 seeds and 150 ml water volume. The electrical conductivity value is negatively correlated with Germination capacity, vigor index, growth of speed, maximum growth potential, and sprout growth rate. Time needed for Electrical Conductivity method in this study was three days. The germination period of 96 hours gives the best results on the radicle emergence of sorghum seed varieties. Vigor index, growth of speed, germination capacity, and maximum growth potential are positively correlated with the value of radicula emergence.Keywords: Electrical Conductivity, Radicle emergence, Vigor, Viability, Germination

Osmo-priming with a Novel Actives Carrabiitol® Alleviates Abiotic Stresses in Sorghum and Fenugreek: Effect on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth

Background: Abiotic stress is a serious threat to crops as it inhibits the seed germination and seedling growth. Seed treatment with osmolytes and plant growth regulating chemicals found to be effective in mitigating the abiotic stress. In this regard, the study was conducted to evaluate the osmo-priming effect of Carrabiitol®, novel patented(IN) commercial product derived from carrageenan oligosaccharide, on seed germination and seedling growth of sorghum and fenugreek under induced stresses. Methods: The concentration of Carrabiitol® tested for seed priming were 1000, 2000 and 3000 mg/L. The abiotic stresses viz. drought, salinity and excess water stresses, were induced using PEG 6000, sodium chloride and water, respectively. Experiments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Result: The germination percentage, root length and shoot length were reduced in non-primed stressed sorghum and fenugreek seeds (T2) as compared to unstressed seeds. Osmo-priming with 3000 mg/L of Carrabiitol® (T5) was found to be most significant in improving the seed germination and seedling growth of sorghum and fenugreek under the induced stresses (p≤0.05). Overall, the results suggested that application of Carrabiitol® was effective in improving the seed germination and seedling growth of sorghum and fenugreek by alleviating the applied abiotic stresses.

Genome-wide identification, evolution and expression pattern analysis of the GATA gene family in Sorghum bicolor.

The GATA family of transcription factors is zinc finger DNA binding proteins involved in a variety of biological processes, including plant growth and development and response to biotic/abiotic stresses, and thus play an essential role in plant response to environmental changes. However, the GATA gene family of Sorghum (SbGATA) has not been systematically analyzed and reported yet. Herein, we used a variety of bioinformatics methods and quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) to explore the evolution and function of the 33 SbGATA genes identified. These SbGATA genes, distributed on 10 chromosomes, are classified into four subfamilies (I-IV) containing one pair of tandem duplications and nine pairs of segment duplications, which are more closely related to the monocot Brachypodium distachyon and Oryza sativa GATA genes. The physicochemical properties of the SbGATAs are significantly different among the subfamilies, while the protein structure and conserved protein motifs are highly conserved in the subfamilies. In addition, the transcription of SbGATAs is tissue-specific during Sorghum growth and development, which allows for functional diversity in response to stress and hormones. Collectively, our study lays a theoretical foundation for an in-depth analysis of the functions, mechanisms and evolutionary relationships of SbGATA during plant growth and development.

Plasticity of root hair and rhizosheath traits and their relationship to phosphorus uptake in sorghum.

Sorghum is an essential crop for resilient and adaptive responses to climate change. The root systems of crop plants significantly contribute to the tolerance of abiotic stresses. There is little information on sorghum genotypes' root systems and plasticity to external P supply. In this paper, we investigated the variations in root systems, as well as the responses, trait relationships, and plasticity of two sorghum genotypes (Naga Red and Naga White), popularly grown in Ghana, to five external P concentrations ([P]ext): 0, 100, 200, 300, and 400 mg P kg-1 soil. Sorghum plants were grown in greenhouse pots and harvested for root trait measurements at the five-leaf and growing point differentiation (GPD) developmental stages. The plants were responsive to [P]ext and formed rhizosheaths. The two genotypes showed similar characteristics for most of the traits measured but differed significantly in total and lateral root lengths in favor of the red genotype. For example, at the five-leaf growth stage, the lateral root length of the red and white genotypes was 22.8 and 16.2cm, respectively, but 124 and 88.9cm, at the GPD stage. The responses and plasticity of the root system traits, including rhizosheath, to [P]ext were more prominent, positive, and linear at the five-leaf stage than at the GPD growth stage. At the five-leaf growth stage, total root length increased by about 2.5-fold with increasing [P]ext compared to the unamended soil. At the GPD stage, however, total root length decreased by about 1.83-fold as [P]ext increased compared to the unamended soil. Specific rhizosheath weight correlated with RHD, albeit weakly, and together explained up to 59% of the variation in tissue P. Root hair density was more responsive to P supply than root hair length and showed a similar total and lateral root length pattern. Most desirable responses to P occurred at a rate of 200-300 mg P kg-1 soil. It is concluded that sorghum would form rhizosheath, and [P]ext could be critical for the early vigorous growth of sorghum's responsive root and shoot traits. Beyond the early days of development, additional P application might be necessary to sustain the responses and plasticity observed during the early growth period, but this requires further investigation, potentially under field conditions.