Source: KANSAS STATE UNIV submitted to NRP
GREAT PLAINS SORGHUM IMPROVEMENT AND UTILIZATION CENTER
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
SPECIAL GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0221633
Grant No.
2010-34370-20966
Cumulative Award Amt.
$930,668.00
Proposal No.
2010-01610
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Aug 15, 2010
Project End Date
Aug 14, 2012
Grant Year
2010
Program Code
[NA]- Grain Sorghum, KS and TX
Recipient Organization
KANSAS STATE UNIV
(N/A)
MANHATTAN,KS 66506
Performing Department
Agronomy
Non Technical Summary
Grain sorghum is a major crop in those areas of the United States (US) that generally are too hot and dry for other summer crops. Grain sorghum is the third most important cereal crop grown in the US and the fifth most important cereal crop grown in the world. The US is currently positioned as the number one producer and exporter of sorghum on the world market. Despite the importance of this crop for producers in drought prone environments and the many new opportunities for sorghum utilization in the bioenergy, bioproducts and food industries, particularly gluten-free foods, relatively little public or private resources are being invested in research on genetic improvement, production, or innovative use of the various types of sorghum. The trend towards less research and technology transfer efforts on sorghum threatens the economic stability of sorghum producers and fails to capitalize on the unique opportunities of this crop. Currently, a comprehensive regional program does not exist to address the genetic, agronomic, processing, policy/trade, marketing, and educational issues as they relate specifically to the sorghum industry. The Grain Plains Sorghum Improvement and Utilization Center (GPSIUC) is a multi-university, multi-disciplinary project designed to focus on the genetic improvement, production, and utilization of sorghum. This program integrates systems approaches from genetics through policy and strategic marketing of high-quality feed, food or industrial products to increase profitability and maintain viability of all segments of the US sorghum industry in an increasingly competitive international market. The program will provide research and policy/industry outreach on sorghum (feed, food, and renewable fuel) that have direct implications for US industries and consumers. Currently, GPSIUC has groups of scientists addressing basic genetics, breeding and crop improvement, new weed control options, drought tolerance, water use efficiency, nitrogen use efficiency, pests and diseases, bioenergy production systems, utilization for new food products, and marketing policy development. The GPSIUC has also established network of scientists both nationally and internationally to undertake collaborative research programs on sorghum. In addition, the center also provides training to undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and visiting scientists to help promote and enhance sorghum research and industry.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
2011520108120%
2051520108160%
2041520108110%
5021520108110%
Knowledge Area
204 - Plant Product Quality and Utility (Preharvest); 205 - Plant Management Systems; 201 - Plant Genome, Genetics, and Genetic Mechanisms; 502 - New and Improved Food Products;

Subject Of Investigation
1520 - Grain sorghum;

Field Of Science
1081 - Breeding;
Goals / Objectives
The Great Plains Sorghum Improvement and Utilization Center (GPSIUC) integrates and combines the expertise and resources of sorghum research at K-State, Texas Tech University, and Texas A&M University. This also includes collaboration with the USDA-ARS scientists. The GPSIUC facilitates interaction and cooperation among scientists with a goal of addressing key long-term issues of sorghum improvement, production and utilization that impact sorghum producers and industry. The center projects address both basic and applied aspects ranging from genetics to marketing. The focus of the center is on genetic improvement, production systems to enhance water and nutrient use, innovative strategies for weed control, utilization of sorghum in human food products, animal feed, and as a bioenergy and industrial feedstock, plus marketing, and policy analysis in support of the US sorghum industry. The main objectives of the center are to (1) improve the yield potential, production efficiency, and food, feed and bioenergy value of sorghum, through plant breeding and genetics; (2) develop new uses for sorghum in food and non-food applications, emphasizing the grain's desirable characteristics, such as the absence of gluten and a low glycemic index; (3) identify more efficient production strategies that will enhance water and nutrient use, particularly N, and provide new options for the control of weeds and pests, to increase sorghum yield and profits; (4) expand research on sorghum as a bioenergy crop uniquely adapted to drier regions of the US; and (5) provide market and policy analysis and develop educational programs for different sorghum-based products and production systems to increase profitability of all segments of the U.S. sorghum industry. This program involves several project leaders at multiple locations across Kansas and Texas. Some of the specific issues being addressed include: identifying genetic resources for improved grain yield potential, drought tolerance, genomic mapping for drought tolerance; deployment of multiple herbicide resistance; evaluation of new weed control, disease and pest management options; improve water and nitrogen use efficiency in dry land environments; improving food, feed and bioenergy production systems; economic analyses of domestic and international markets; and strategic communication and outreach. The products generated from this research will significantly influence and help improve sorghum productivity and market opportunities at regional, national and international levels. The outputs of various projects will help development of improved, efficient and sustainable crop management practices for increased yield and economic benefit to sorghum producers and industry. The GPSIUC will help with capacity building through undergraduate and graduate training, mentoring researchers and educators who will serve sorghum producers and industry.
Project Methods
Genetic diversity for yield potential, food, feed and bioenergy, sorghum diversity panel (288 lines) and sweet sorghum panel (280 lines) will be evaluated for traits associated with drought tolerance, grain yield, nutritional quality and bioenergy production. Phenotypic and genotypic data will be combined to identify markers associated with yield, drought tolerance, food quality and disease resistance and bioenergy traits. Mapping population of Tx623/00MN7645 will be evaluated for candidate gene mapping for drought tolerance in Manhattan, Hesston, and Ottawa. New technologies and applications to improve flour qualities and bread making qualities of sorghum will be tested. Efficient sorghum cropping and production strategies to enhance water and nitrogen use efficiency will be evaluated. Influence of clump planting and interaction of planting date, hybrid maturity, row spacing, and seeding rate on grain sorghum yield across Kansas (Hutchinson, St. John, Manhattan, Belleville, Hays, Colby, Tribune and Garden City) will be evaluated. To improve water use efficiency new irrigation technologies such as low energy precision application and sub-surface drip irrigation will be tested at multi locations in Texas. To enhance nitrogen use efficiency multi-location tests with different N rates, application timings and sources will be conducted across Kansas to develop sensor guided N recommendation system and to revise N fertilizer recommendation to better reflect sorghum N uptake and utilization efficiencies. Efforts will continue to incorporate acetolactate synthase (ALS) and acetyle co-enzyme-A carboxylase (ACCase) into cultivated lines. New efforts will be initiated to stack tolerance of both ALS and ACCase tolerance into one background. Studies will also be initiated to test the effectiveness of pyrasulfotole (Huskie) on sorghum and to develop best management practices for effective use of huskie. Research on utilization of grain, sweet stalk and forage sorghum as feed stock for biofuel production will be enhanced across Kansas and Texas by germplasm screening and development, testing methods to improve fermentation efficiency, developing efficient crop management practices, crop rotations and sustainable bioenergy production systems. Economic analysis of domestic and international markets and its impacts on supply, demand, exports and prices will be evaluated using simulation models. Efforts will continue to enhance strategic communication and outreach of sorghum research to scientists, extension professionals, producers and policy makers. All experiments will be conducted using appropriate management practices and procedures using suitable statistical design with replications. Results will be analyzed using proper statistical methods. Research results will be communicated to suitable medium (journals, extension bulletins, radio, field days, and conferences).

Progress 08/15/10 to 08/14/12

Outputs
Target Audience: sorghum producers, sorghum industry, crop advisers, crop regulators, plant breeders, geneticists, sorghum millers and bakers, crop scientists, and agronomists. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Prior report for 2012 was entered into the CRIS system as a progress report instead of a termination report.

Publications


    Progress 08/15/11 to 08/14/12

    Outputs
    OUTPUTS: The focus of the GPSIUC was on genetic improvement, production systems to enhance water and nutrient use, innovative strategies to provide improved weed control, utilization of sorghum in human food products, animal feed, and as a bioenergy and industrial feedstock. Sorghum genotypes of grain sorghum, forage sorghum and sweet sorghum were screened for traits associated with yield, drought tolerance, grain quality and diseases and utilization. Field and controlled environment studies quantified the response of selected sorghum genotypes to drought and high temperature stress. To further improve sorghum as food use efforts, understanding the influence of additives to sorghum flour, and also the glycemic index of sorghum products was determined. Field experiments were conducted to develop new nitrogen management options and quantified responses of sorghum genotypes to N. Production practices such as clump planting, population density, planting densities were evaluated to determine optimum management practices. Efforts were continued to develop new herbicide tolerant parents and developing new options for weed management. Efforts on improved understanding of sorghum diseases particularly stalk rot and grain mold was conducted under field and controlled environment conditions. Impact of insect pests on grain yield was quantified and development of efficient pest control practices were continued. All research results were communicated to audiences through several media (field days, annual meeting, presentations and publications). PARTICIPANTS: Prasad PVV; Yu J; Tesso T; Roozeboom K; Mengel, D; Little C; McCornack B; Wang, D; Aramouni F. TARGET AUDIENCES: sorghum producers, sorghum industry, crop advisers, crop regulators, plant breeders, geneticists, sorghum millers and bakers, crop scientists and agronomists. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

    Impacts
    Sorghum genetics research established foundation for long-term breeding support for grain quality, drought tolerance and yield. Grain quality traits in different races and subpopulations were quantified and genetic markers were identified. Enhanced our understanding the mechanism of how genetic and environmental conditions regulate sorghum flowering time. New sources of drought and heat tolerance were identified and further tested under controlled environments. Improved our understanding of mechanisms associated with high temperature tolerance. Food science research showed that sorghum flour milled at smaller particle size resulted in the lowest glycemic index among various foods compared. These findings should assist in development of lower GI sorghum foods, and enhance opportunities for sorghum based, gluten-free snack and bakery products focusing on the impact of eggs and carob germ flour in terms of functionality. Crop management studies confirmed benefits of optical sensors for in season nitrogen (N) management and other practices that improve nitrogen use efficiency. There were differences in various sorghum genotypes (hybrids and inbred) for response to N, and uptake, utilization and recovery. Improved planting geometry (clumping) showed potential to increase sorghum yields in low yielding drought stressed environment. Furthermore, narrower rows provide opportunity to capture greater yields at higher populations in favorable environment by forming more heads per plant and slightly larger heads. New potential resistance sources from 36 advanced seed parental lines for stalk-rot resistance were identified and are in the pipeline to be released as new drought and stalk rot tolerant germplasm to other public and private sorghum breeding programs. Head-worm caterpillars (corn earworm and fall armyworm) decreased sorghum yield. Yield loss was strongly correlated with planting date where early and late planted fields resulted in high levels of seed and whorl damage, respectively. These studies were essential to our current understanding of the yield loss dynamics within sorghum production systems. Together, with updated yield loss estimates and sampling strategies, Kansas sorghum producers would be able save both time and money that might otherwise be associated with unwarranted insecticide applications. Bio-processing studies indicated that irrigation level had significant effects on sorghum physical and chemical properties. Starch contents of sorghum samples grown under a high irrigation level were higher than those under a low irrigation level. Waxy sorghum may have more advantages then regular sorghum in terms of physical and chemical properties, short fermentation time, and high fermentation efficiency. Sorghum DDGS (distillers dried grains with solubles) contains about 30-40% protein. The utilization of sorghum protein from DDGS for biobased products such as adhesives will add value. Overall, research from these activities created new knowledge that will help improve productivity, profitability and competitiveness of sorghum to producers and industry.

    Publications

    • Tesso TT, Kreshner K, Ochanda N, Al-Khatib, Tuinstra MR. 2011. Registration of 34 sorghum germplasm lines resistant to acetolactate synthase-inhibitor herbicides. Journal of Plant Registations 5: 215-219.
    • Wu YY, Li XR, Xiang WW, Zhu CS, Lin ZW, Wu Y, Li JR, Pandravada S, Ridder DD, Bai GH, Wang ML, Trick HN, Bean SR, Tuinstra MR, Tesso TT, Yu J. 2012. Presence of tannins in sorghum grains is conditioned by different natural alleles in Tannin1. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 109: 10281-10286.
    • Yan SP, Wu XR, Bean SR, Pedersen JF, Tesso TT, Chen YHR, Wang DH. 2011. Evaluation of waxy grain sorghum for ethanol production. Cereal Chemistry 88: 589-595.
    • Yan SP, Wu XR, Faubin J, Bean SR, Cai LM, Shi YC, Sun XZS, Wang DH. 2012. Ethanol-production performance of ozone-treated tannin grain sorghum fluor. Cereal Chemistry 89: 30-37.
    • Ananda N, Vadlani PV, Prasad PVV. 2011. Evaluation of drought and heat stress sorghum grain (Sorghum bicolor) for ethanol production. Industrial Crops and Products 33: 779-782.
    • Brady CR, Noll LW, Saleh AA, Little CR. 2011. Disease severity and microsclerotium properties of the sorghum sooty stripe pathogen, Ramulispora sorghi. Plant Disease 95: 853-859.
    • Gholipoor M, Sinclair TR, Prasad PVV. 2012. Genotypic variation within sorghum for transpiration response to drying soil. Plant and Soil 357: 35-40.
    • Mutava RN, Prasad PVV, Tuinstra MR, Kofoid KD, Yu J. 2011. Characterization of sorghum genotypes for traits related to drought tolerance. Field Crops Research 123: 10-18. Ocheltree TW, Nipper JB, Prasad PVV. Changes in stomatal conductance along grass blades reflect changes in leaf structure. Plant Cell and Environment 35: 1040-1049.
    • Prasad PVV, Djanaguiraman M. 2011. High night temperature decreases leaf photosynthesis and pollen function in grain sorghum. Functional Plant Biology 38: 993-1003.
    • Sivakumar S, Xiang WW, Bean SR, Pedersen JF, Kresovich S, Tuinstra TR, Tesso TT, Hamblin MT, Yu J. 2012. Association mapping of grain quality in a diverse sorghum collection. Plant Genome 126-135.


    Progress 08/15/10 to 08/14/11

    Outputs
    OUTPUTS: The Great Plains Sorghum Improvement and Utilization Center is a multidisciplinary collaboration among Kansas State University, Texas Tech University and Texas A & M University focused on supporting, integrating and extending research, extension and educational resources focused on sorghum. The goal of this coalition is to foster sorghum improvement, utilization, production and marketing. The focus of the center is on genetic improvement, production systems to enhance water and nutrient use, innovative strategies to provide improved weed control, utilization of sorghum in human food products, animal feed, and as a bioenergy and industrial feedstock, plus marketing, and policy analysis in support of the US sorghum industry. Efforts were continued to develop new herbicide tolerant parents and developing new options for weed management. Field experiments were conducted to develop new nitrogen management options. Sorghum genotypes of grain sorghum, forage sorghum and sweet sorghum were screened for traits associated with yield, drought tolerance, grain quality and diseases and utilization potential. Screened large germplasm collection for high temperature and drought tolerance under field and controlled environment conditions. Influence of production practices such as clump planting, population density, planting densities were evaluated to determine optimum management practices. Efforts on improved understanding of sorghum diseases particularly sooty stripe and grain mold is continuing under field and controlled environment conditions. Impact of insect pests and use of insect traps for accurate scouting were tested. Research is ongoing to improve food use of grain sorghum. Impact of sorghum based grain products on human glycemic index as compared to other common grain products is being evaluated. Studies are continuing to improve sorghum utilization as biofuel and improving bioenergy production efficiency. Efforts in Texas included research related to improving water use efficiency in sorghum, evaluation of sorghum germplasm for bioenergy and intercropping of legumes and sorghum for sustainable bioenergy production, economic analysis of domestic and international markets and development of research database, strategic communication and outreach. PARTICIPANTS: Prasad PVV; Staggenborg SA; Al Khatib, K; Mengel, D; Yu J; Tesso T; Little C; McCornack B; Wang, D; Aramouni F. TARGET AUDIENCES: : Farmers, crop adviser, regulators, plant breeders, geneticists, agronomists, crop scientists, extension agents, sorghum millers and bakers. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

    Impacts
    Progress towards combining tolerance to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibiting herbicides and acetyl -Co-A Carboxylase (ACC)-inhibiting herbicides showed promise. A subset of slow wilting genotypes of sorghum were identified. Research also showed that new herbicide options for broad leaf weed control is successful and efficient in sorghum. The slow wilting genotypes had higher canopy temperatures, suggesting that slow wilting trait can be identified by measuring canopy temperatures under irrigated and high vapor pressure deficit environments. Slow wilting traits will have potential for increased drought and heat tolerance. Preliminary results suggested that genetic variability exists for high temperature tolerance during flowering based on ability of pollen to germinate and set seed. Research showed that sorghum genotypes varied in their response to nitrogen and there were differences among genotypes for N use efficiency. Research also showed that counting number of green leaves can provide indication of nitrogen sufficiency in grain sorghum. Clump planting continued to show benefits under drought stressed environments in western Kansas. Planting sorghum in narrow rows yielded greater than traditional wide rows. Later planting dates are more responsive to increasing plant populations. Photoperiod sensitive (tropical) sorghum produced greater biomass than corn with lower inputs. The optimum time of harvesting sweet sorghum was at dough stage when greatest juice yield were documented. A new automated insect pheromone traps gave more accurate counts of total moths captured as well as entry time. This modified new trap design is more efficient and is capable of estimating moth captures within 5-15% accuracy. Disease management studies tested the newly developed screening techniques for grain mold fungi with several genotypes and proved useful and efficient. Sorghum utilization research continues to focus on the development of gluten free sorghum food products. It was observed that use of eggs with levels up to 30% is an effective way to improve the quality of the gluten-free bread. Studies indicated that waxy sorghum for ethanol production are low energy input for cooking process, high starch and protein digestibility, high free amino nitrogen content, and short fermentation time and make better feedstock for biofuel production. One stop shop website was developed and available online for finding literature on sorghum research.

    Publications

    • Theerarattananoon K, Xu F, Wilson J, Ballard R, Mckinney L, Staggenborg SA, Vadlani P, Pei ZJ, Wang D. 2011. Physical properties of pellets made from sorghum stalk, corn stover, wheat straw, and big blustem. Industrial Crops and Products 33: 325-332.
    • Wu XR, Staggenborg S, Propheter JL, Rooney WL, Yu JM, Wang DH. 2010. Features of sweet sorghum juice and their performance in ethanol fermentation. Industrial Crops and Products 31: 164-170.
    • Xu F, Shi YC, Wu XR, Theerarattananoon K, Staggenborg SA, Wang DH. 2011. Sulfuric acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of photoperiod sensitive sorghum for ethanol production. Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering 334: 485-492.
    • Xu F, Theerarattananoon K, Wu XR, Pena L, Shi YC, Staggenborg SA, Wang DH. 2011. Process optimization for ethanol production from photoperiod-sensitive sorghum: focus on cellulose conversion. Industrial Crops and Products 34: 1212-1218.
    • Assefa Y, Staggenborg SA. 2011. Phenotypic changes in grain sorghum over the last five decades. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 197: 249-257.
    • Brady CR, Noll LW, Saleh AA, Little CR. 2011. Disease severity and microsclerotium proferties of the sorghum sooty stripe pathogen, Ramulispora sorghi. Plant Disease 95: 853-859.
    • Gholipoor M, Prasad PVV, Mutava RN, Sinclair TR. 2010. Genetic variability of transpiration response to vapor pressure deficit among sorghum genotypes. Field Crops Research 119: 85-90.
    • Jampala B, Robbins A, Hays D, Yan SP, Xu F, Rooney W, Peterson G, Shi YC, Wang DH. 2010. Ethanol fermentation performance of grain sorghums (Sorghum bicolor) with modified endosperm matrices. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 58: 9556-9562.
    • Noll LW, Butler DN, Little CR. 2010. Tetrazolium violet staining of naturally and artificially moulded sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) caryopses. Seed Science and Technology 38: 741-756.
    • Prasad PVV, Boote, KJ, Allen LH. 2011. Longevity and temperature response of pollen as affected by elevated growth temperature and carbon dioxide in peanut and grain sorghum. Environmental and Experimental Botany 70: 51-57.
    • Propheter JL, Staggenborg SA, Wu X, Wang D. 2010. Performance of annual and perennial biofuel crops: yield during the first two years. Agronomy Journal 102: 806-814.
    • Tesso T, Alemo T, Hussein M. 2011. Association between morphological traits and yield in durra sorghums of Ethiopia. Heridita 148: 89-109.
    • Tesso T, Ejeta G. 2011. Stalk strength and reaction to infection by Macrophomina phaseolina of brown midrib maize (Zea mays) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). Field Crops Research 120: 271-275.
    • Tesso TT, Ochanda N, Little CR, Claflin L, Tuinstra MR. 2010. Analysis of host plant resistance to multiple Fusarium species associated with stalk rot disease in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. Field Crops Research 118: 177-182.
    • Theerarattananoon K, Wu X, Staggenborg SA, Propheter J, Madl R, Wang D. 2010. Evaluation and characterization of sorghum biomass as feed stock for sugar production. Transactions of the ASABE 53: 509-525.
    • Yan SP, Wu XR, Dahlberg J, Bean SR, MacRitchie F, Wilson JD, Wang DH. 2010. Properties of field-sprouted sorghum and its performance in ethanol production. Journal of Cereal Science 51: 374-380.