Progress and challenges in sorghum biotechnology, a multipurpose feedstock for the bioeconomy

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is the fifth most important cereal crop globally by harvested area and production. Its drought and heat tolerance allow high yields with minimal input. It is a promising biomass crop for the production of biofuels and bioproducts. In addition, as an annual diploid with a relatively small genome compared with other C-4 grasses, and excellent germplasm diversity, sorghum is an excellent research species for other C-4 crops such as maize. As a result, an increasing number of researchers are looking to test the transferability of findings from other organisms such as Arabidopsis thaliana and Brachypodium distachyon to sorghum, as well as to engineer new biomass sorghum varieties. Here, we provide an overview of sorghum as a multipurpose feedstock crop which can support the growing bioeconomy, and as a monocot research model system. We review what makes sorghum such a successful crop and identify some key traits for future improvement. We assess recent progress in sorghum transformation and highlight how transformation limitations still restrict its widespread adoption. Finally, we summarize available sorghum genetic, genomic, and bioinformatics resources. This review is intended for researchers new to sorghum research, as well as those wishing to include non-food and forage applications in their research. Sorghum is a multipurpose crop resilient to suboptimal growth conditions. We highlight what genetic, genomic, and biotechnological resources are available for sorghum, with an emphasis on transformation technologies.

Automated summary

Sorghum, as the fifth most important cereal crop worldwide, shows promise as a multipurpose feedstock crop and research model system. Its resilience to suboptimal growth conditions, combined with genetic, genomic, and biotechnological resources, make it an excellent candidate for future improvements and applications in the bioeconomy.