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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Plant Stress and Germplasm Development Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #404316
Research Project: Discovery and Improvement of Traits to Enhance Sorghum as a Multiple Purpose Crop

Location: Plant Stress and Germplasm Development Research

Title: Multiple tiller-D1 and biomass production

Author
item Xin, Zhanguo
item Chen, Junping

Submitted to: Invention Report
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/14/2024
Publication Date: 5/14/2024
Citation: Xin, Z., Chen, J. 2024. Multiple tiller-D1 and biomass production. Invention Report.

Interpretive Summary: Sorghum is a highly productive and stress-resistant plant that plays an important role in food, feed, and bioenergy production. However, the traits that contribute to biomass and grain production in sorghum are not fully understood. ARS scientists from Lubbock, Texas identified a dominant multiple tiller mutant (mtl-D1) that can develop many productive tillers (branches) during early development stages. The mutant has the potential to increase biomass production by 50% and grain production by 30%. Due to the dominant nature of the multiple tiller trait, mtl-D1 can serve as a parent to breed sorghum hybrids with the potential to significantly increase biomass and grain production. This information is important and will be of interest to the sorghum industry and private and public breeders.

Technical Abstract: Sorghum is a highly productive and stress-resistant C4 plant that plays an important role in food, feed, and bioenergy production. However, the traits that contribute to biomass and grain production in sorghum are not fully understood. Recently, a dominant multiple tiller mutant (mtl-D1) has been isolated, which can develop many productive tillers during early development stages. The mutant has the potential to increase biomass production by 50% and grain production by 30%. Due to the dominant nature of the multiple tiller trait, mtl-D1 can serve as a parent to breed sorghum hybrids with the potential to significantly increase biomass and grain production.