Emerging frontiers in sorghum genetic engineering

Sorghum, a climate-resilient cereal, is crucial for meeting the growing demand for food and feed in arid and semi-arid regions, especially amid global population growth and climate change. Despite its natural drought tolerance and adaptability, sorghum faces challenges in increasing yield, enhancing resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses, and improving grain quality. Genetic engineering has emerged as a powerful tool to address these challenges by directly modifying genes associated with desirable traits. Recent advancements have utilized morphogenic regulators to improve transformation and regeneration efficiency in sorghum. This review explores the status of genomic resources and genetic diversity in sorghum, highlighting the advancements and challenges faced in its genetic engineering efforts. Genome editing technologies, particularly CRISPR/Cas systems, have improved key agronomic traits such as stress tolerance, nutrient use efficiency, and grain quality. However, significant obstacles still need to be addressed, including low regeneration rates, high genotype dependency, and labor-intensive transformation processes. We highlight potential strategies to overcome these barriers, such as optimizing transformation protocols, exploring alternative explants, using morphogenic regulators and advancing tissue culture techniques. Additionally, we discuss the biosafety considerations and potential applications of genetically engineered sorghum in global agriculture. This review underscores the need for ongoing innovation to unlock the potential of genetically engineered sorghum in addressing global food security challenges.