SorghumBase blog

CSI Seminar Brent Crafton, Lanier Dabruzzi, Shelee Padgett and Zach Simon Jan 13 at 11 AM CT

The Center for Sorghum Improvement (CSI) will host a virtual seminar given by Brent Crafton, Lanier Dabruzzi, Shelee Padgett and Zach Simon, members of the Sorghum Checkoff Marketing Team, on Tuesday, January 13 at 11:00 AM CT. Their talk, “Moving

Gramene and SorghumBase Teams at PAG33 in San Diego, California, January 9-14, 2024

The International Plant and Animal Genome conference (PAG33) will take place on January 9-14, 2026 in San Diego, California and the SorghumBase and Gramene teams will be there!

Systems Biology: Global Regulation of Gene Expression, CSHL Mar 11-14, Abstracts Due Jan 9

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is hosting the Systems Biology: Global Regulation of Gene Expression meeting March 11-14, 2026. The focus of the meeting will be on encouraging collaboration between experimental and computational biologists exploring the structure and regulation of complex transcriptional networks in eukaryotic systems.

SbNAC074 Enhances Salt Tolerance via Proline Accumulation, Antioxidant Activity, and MAPK-Mediated Regulation

Overexpression of the sorghum transcription factor SbNAC074 enhances plant salt tolerance by promoting proline accumulation, boosting antioxidant enzyme activity, and interacting with SbMPK3 for phosphorylation-mediated regulation.

Multi-Omics Dissection of Iron and Zinc Homeostasis Reveals Conserved Regulatory Networks in Sorghum

Mishra et al. used multi-omics analysis in sorghum to reveal conserved gene networks and regulatory mechanisms underlying iron and zinc homeostasis, linking root uptake and leaf chloroplast function under micronutrient stress.

Genetic and Metabolic Insights into the Relationship Between Seed Coat Color, Phenolic Compounds, and Volatile Profiles in Sorghum

Sorghum seed coat color correlates with the accumulation of phenolic and volatile compounds, and key regulatory genes including ABCB28, PTCD1, and ANK have been identified as central to their biosynthesis and transport.

High-Throughput, Nondestructive Grain Quality Analysis in Sorghum

Understanding sorghum grain quality is essential for breeding, food innovation, and industrial applications. Traits such as protein, starch composition, oil content, tannins, and phenolic compounds directly influence nutritional value, processing behavior, and end use. However, traditional laboratory assays are slow,

Sorghum in Fermentation: New Insights into Genetics, Grain Traits, and Microbial Interactions from Baijiu to African Traditional Beers

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) has long played a central role in the production of fermented beverages across continents, from West African dolo and pito to Chinese baijiu and emerging gluten-free craft beers in the West. A wave of recent research is shedding light on how sorghum’s grain properties, microbial interactions during fermentation, and genetic diversity influence the quality and sustainability of these beverages.

Unlocking Sorghum’s Potential in Skin Care and Antioxidant Applications: A New Frontier for Kafirin Peptides

In recent years, sorghum has gained increasing attention not just as a climate-resilient staple crop, but also as a source of high-value bioactive compounds with applications beyond the food and feed sectors. A growing body of research highlights the potential of sorghum storage proteins—particularly kafirins—as a sustainable source of antioxidant peptides and cosmeceutical ingredients.

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