Biotech Updates

Identification of Gene Regulating Flowering in Sorghum Opens Way to Increase Biomass Productivity for Biofuels Production

September 30, 2011
(full access to journal article may require subscription or payment)
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/09/13/1106212108.abstract
http://www.ecoseed.org/technology/innovations/article/27-innovations/11344-genes-that-control-sorghum-flowering-identified

Scientists from the AgriLife Research Center, Texas A&M University (United States) report the identification of key genes which control flowering in the sorghum plant. Sorghum [Sorghumbicolor (L.) Moench] is a robust, drought-tolerant "C4 grass" which is grown for grain and forage, providing an important food source in many food-insecure areas in the world. The stalks and leaves of the sorghum plant also provides lignocellulosic biomass resources, which can be harnessed for biofuel-ethanol production. A high biomass productivity of biofuel feedstocks is important to make it a competitive bioenergy crop, and biomass production may in turn, be regulated by the flowering period of the plant.

The discovery of genes which regulate flowering in the sorghum plant opens up new possibilities for increasing the bioenergy-potential of sorghum biomass for biofuels production. The scientists identified four key genes for regulation of flowering in the sorghum plant, "Ma1", "Ma2", "Ma3" and "Ma4".   According to biochemist, Dr. John Mullet, "We were able to identify a gene in sorghum that controls flowering in response today length, and we discovered that the gene is regulated by the plant's internal 'clock' and light enabling the plant to flower at approximately the same date each growing season". They explained that delayed flowering in the sorghum plant can divert plant metabolism toward higher biomass productivity. The Ecoseed website highlights the implication of the research as follows: "With these genetic markers now identified, grower scan begin to figure out a way to breed hybrid sorghum strains that would flower at optimal times to ensure the plant gives out maximum yield during harvest time". The research results are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) (URL above).

Related information:
Youtube video: "Energy-sorghum Flowering Gene Discovered" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7IOnzgerFs