Progress and prospects in the molecular basic research on important traits in sorghum

Abstract:

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is a significant crop serving food, energy, feed, and industrial raw materials, featuring extensive growth adaptability and diverse utility values. Despite the achievements in sorghum breeding in the last decades, conventional breeding methods still confront challenges such as lengthy breeding cycles, low efficiency, and complex genetic backgrounds. With the rapid advancement of molecular biology, genetics, and bioinformatics, molecular breeding has carved new pathways for enhancing sorghum yield and quality. This article reviews the molecular basic research progress in the key agronomic and adaptive traits of sorghum, including grain yield, grain quality, flowering time, plant height, tillering, stress resistance, and male sterility, and discusses future research priorities, offering novel insights and approaches for sorghum breeding.