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.
SbHMA5 is a conserved P1B-type copper ATPase in sorghum that maintains copper homeostasis by interacting with metallochaperones to efflux excess Cu from the cytosol, thereby protecting plant growth and development from copper toxicity.
Sorghum polyamine oxidase genes exhibit distinct structural, evolutionary, and regulatory specializations that shape tissue- and genotype-specific stress responses, with SbPAO5 and SbPAO6 emerging as key contributors to drought tolerance and promising targets for crop improvement.
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.
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.
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 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.
A genome-wide association study in sorghum identified 189 QTNs underlying root system architecture, highlighting a complex polygenic basis with candidate genes linked to hormone signaling, flavonoid biosynthesis, and stress adaptation.
