Location: Grain Quality and Structure Research
Project Number: 3020-43440-002-020-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2020
End Date: Aug 31, 2025
Objective:
The overall objective of this cooperative project is to evaluate the effect of heat and drought stress on both sorghum and wheat grain composition and chemistry. Research will address how periods of both heat and drought stress impact final grain composition as well as how abiotic stresses at specific time points during grain filling impact final grain composition and chemistry. Using that information, it is the goal to develop a high yielding line that also expresses high amounts of bioactive compounds.
Approach:
Sorghum lines known to have high polyphenols including PI570481, SC84 and SC991 will be grown in Hays, Kansas and winter nurseries (Mexico or Puerto Rico). Samples will be harvested at maturity and analyzed for polyphenol content as well as bioactivity in multiple disease models. Samples found to be high in bioactive compound content will be used for additional breeding in order to produce a high yielding sorghum line for further research and market development.
In addition, selected diverse samples will be grown in Hays under dryland conditions to evaluate the effect of heat and drought stress on sorghum grain and leaf composition. Samples of mature grain will be collected and threshed. Sorghum leaves and leaf sheafs, which contain polyphenols, will be collected throughout the maturation process. Collected material will be analyzed for overall grain composition as well as important end-use quality traits such as fermentable sugars, protein digestibility, phytonutrient levels, etc. Samples will be evaluated for their ability to withstand changes to grain composition when exposed to drought stress.
