news & research-highlights

Job Opportunity: Chemist/Technician to Support Barley and Malt Quality Analysis Service and Research Efforts at North Dakota State University

The Department of Plant Sciences at North Dakota State University welcomes applications for a skilled and motivated chemist/technician to support our barley and malt quality analysis service and research efforts in the Department of Plant Sciences at North Dakota State University (NDSU).

DG1-Mediated Floret Fertility Enhances Grain Yield and Breeding Potential in Sorghum

The DG1 gene in sorghum enhances lower floret fertility through epigenetic regulation, enabling double-grain spikelets that increase yield and hold promise for both crop improvement and liquor production.

The 2026 Annual Maize Genetics Meeting will be held Feb 26-Mar 1 in Cologne, Germany, Abstracts and Registration due Dec 19

The 2026 Maize Genetics meeting, hosted by the Maize Genetics Cooperation, will take place from February 26 to March 1 in Cologne, Germany.  The meeting will include invited talks in genetics and plant biology, sessions covering broad subject areas to stimulate new ideas, oral presentation, poster sessions and networking opportunities.

Pangenome-Driven Discovery of Stable dw3 Alleles Enhances Genetic Diversity and Dwarfing Stability in U.S. Sorghum

This study identifies and validates new stable dw3 dwarfing alleles using sorghum pangenome data to improve genetic diversity and eliminate height revertants in U.S. grain sorghum breeding.

CSI Seminar Daran Rudnick, Dec 8 at 11 AM CT

The Center for Sorghum Improvement (CSI) will host a virtual seminar by Dr. Daran Rudnick, Professor and Director of Sustainable Irrigation in the Carl and Melinda Helwig Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at Kansas State University Research and Extension, on Tuesday, December 8 at 11:00 AM CT. His talk is titled, “Connecting Sorghum Production to Groundwater Outcomes: Perspectives from TAPS.”

Unlocking Plant Secrets One Cell at a Time: Reflections from GRC 2025

This August, I had the honor of representing the AgBioData Single-Cell Biocuration Working Group at the Gordon Research Conference on “Single-Cell Approaches in Plant Biology” in Portland, Maine. Thanks to the AgBioData Ambassador Award, I joined an incredible community of researchers from August 10-15 to explore how we are revolutionizing plant science by zooming in to the cellular level. Single-cell technologies let us see what individual cells are doing, and the insights are transforming everything from basic biology to crop development.

Differential Genetic Responses to Drought Stress in C3 and C4 Plants: Insights for Enhancing Crop Resilience

Research reveals that drought stress disrupts photosynthesis by down-regulating key genes in C3 (wheat) and C4 (sorghum) plants, with wheat exhibiting greater susceptibility, highlighting potential genetic targets for improving drought tolerance in crops.

Genetic Regulation of the Multiple-Grain Spikelet Trait in Sorghum: Insights into MGS1 and Its Role in Enhancing Grain Yield

The MGS1 gene in sorghum, encoding a MIKC-type MADS-box transcription factor, regulates the multiple-grain spikelet (MGS) trait, with natural mutations like mgs19E and mgs1BA45 significantly increasing grain yield by producing adjacent double-pistil primordia.

Genotypic Variation in ABC Transporters Influences Cadmium Phytoremediation Potential of Sorghum

Sorghum, a high-biomass crop, shows promise for phytoremediation of cadmium (Cd)-contaminated soils, with Cd uptake and translocation largely influenced by genotype-specific expression of ABC transporter proteins, particularly SbABCB11.