news & research-highlights

Comprehensive Evaluation of Low-Nitrogen Tolerance in Sorghum: Key Traits for Enhanced Nitrogen Efficiency and Adaptation

Liu et al. evaluated the low-nitrogen tolerance of 100 sorghum genotypes, identifying key morphological, photosynthetic, and metabolic traits that enhance nitrogen efficiency and improve adaptation to nutrient-limited environments.

Distinct Roles of Brassinosteroid Receptors BRI1 and BRL3 in Sorghum Drought Tolerance

This study reveals that while brassinosteroid receptors BRI1 and BRL3 both impact drought response, BRL3 promotes drought tolerance in sorghum through osmotic protection, whereas BRI1 signaling is associated with drought susceptibility due to growth-related sensitivities.

Building a Transdisciplinary Agricultural Single-Cell Genomics Community: Highlights from the AG2PI-AgBioData Workshop

On March 29–30, 2025, the AG2PI Single Cell Workshop Organizing Committee and AgBioData Single Cell Biocuration Working Group co-hosted an in-person workshop dedicated to advancing agricultural single-cell genomics. The event brought together a dynamic group of researchers, bioinformaticians, and data curators at the forefront of plant and animal single-cell biology.

AGBT Agricultural Meeting 2025: Elevating Genomic Innovation in Agriculture

The Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) Agricultural Meeting 2025 took place from March 31 to April 2 in Orlando, Florida. This annual event convened leading genome researchers, data scientists, breeders, policy influencers, funders, and technology innovators from around the world to discuss the integration of genomics in agriculture.

BM41 Kinase: A Key Regulator of Cuticular Wax Biosynthesis and Stress Response in Sorghum

A bloomless mutant gene in sorghum was implicated in regulating cuticular wax biosynthesis, linking environmental stress signals to wax production pathways that enhance drought resistance.

Genetic Insights into Non-photochemical Quenching: Enhancing Photoprotection and Crop Productivity

Plants use non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) to protect themselves from light-induced damage by dissipating excess energy as heat, and genetic studies in crops like maize and sorghum have identified key genes regulating NPQ, offering potential for improving photosynthetic efficiency and yield.

CSI Seminar Aaron Kusmec, Apr 8 at 11 AM CT

The Center for Sorghum Improvement (CSI) is hosting a virtual seminar given by Aaron Kusmec, an Assistant Professor in Crop Quantitative Genetics at Kansas State University’s Department of Agronomy, on Tuesday, April 8 at 11 AM CT.  The title of the talk is, “The past is not the future: Lessons from 80 years of maize breeding for adaptation to future climates.”

Functional Diversity of CYP79A Genes in Sorghum: Roles in Metabolism, Defense, and Adaptation

This study explores the functional diversity of sorghum CYP79A genes, revealing their roles in amino acid metabolism, plant defense, growth regulation, and environmental adaptation.

CSI Seminar Haley Butler, Mar 25 at 11 AM CT

The Center for Sorghum Improvement (CSI) is hosting a virtual seminar given by Haley Butler, from the Peanut and Small Grains Research Unit at the USDA-ARS, on Tuesday, March 25 at 11 AM CT.