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Title: Progress and challenges in sorghum biotechnology, a multipurpose feedstock for the bioeconomy

Journal Article · · Journal of Experimental Botany
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [4];  [5]
  1. Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA, Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
  2. Carnegie Institution for Science, Department of Plant Biology, Stanford, CA, USA
  3. Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA, UC-ANR-KARE, 9240 S. Riverbend Ave, Parlier, CA, USA
  4. Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA, Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, SA, Australia
  5. MPI of Molecular Plant Physiology, Germany

Abstract Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is the fifth most important cereal crop globally by harvested area and production. Its drought and heat tolerance allow high yields with minimal input. It is a promising biomass crop for the production of biofuels and bioproducts. In addition, as an annual diploid with a relatively small genome compared with other C4 grasses, and excellent germplasm diversity, sorghum is an excellent research species for other C4 crops such as maize. As a result, an increasing number of researchers are looking to test the transferability of findings from other organisms such as Arabidopsis thaliana and Brachypodium distachyon to sorghum, as well as to engineer new biomass sorghum varieties. Here, we provide an overview of sorghum as a multipurpose feedstock crop which can support the growing bioeconomy, and as a monocot research model system. We review what makes sorghum such a successful crop and identify some key traits for future improvement. We assess recent progress in sorghum transformation and highlight how transformation limitations still restrict its widespread adoption. Finally, we summarize available sorghum genetic, genomic, and bioinformatics resources. This review is intended for researchers new to sorghum research, as well as those wishing to include non-food and forage applications in their research.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0020366; SC0018277; AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1842539
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 2305675; OSTI ID: 1837605; OSTI ID: 1892026
Journal Information:
Journal of Experimental Botany, Journal Name: Journal of Experimental Botany Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 73; ISSN 0022-0957
Publisher:
Oxford University PressCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English

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