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Sorghum as a monocot model for drought research
Juan B Fontanet-Manzaneque1, Daniela M Hernández1, Andrea Giordano1,2
1Department of Molecular Genetics, Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Barcelona, Spain.
Frontiers in Plant Science
|October 13, 2025
Summary
Sorghum bicolor (Sorghum) offers natural drought tolerance and requires less water than other cereals, making it a key crop for food security. Advances in omics and genetics highlight its potential for developing climate-resilient agriculture.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Plant Biology
- Climate Change Adaptation
Background:
- Climate change exacerbates drought, threatening global food security.
- Sorghum bicolor (Sorghum) exhibits natural drought tolerance and lower water requirements compared to major cereals like rice and maize.
- Sorghum serves as a valuable model organism for studying drought resilience in C4 grasses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review Sorghum's drought tolerance mechanisms, genetic tools, and potential for climate-resilient agriculture.
- To highlight Sorghum's advantages as a model system for crop improvement.
- To discuss challenges and progress in gene manipulation for enhanced drought resilience.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on Sorghum's drought response.
- Analysis of omics data (metabolomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, genomics) related to drought resilience.
- Examination of genetic and genomic tools available for Sorghum research.
Main Results:
- Sorghum uses significantly less water than rice and maize, with potential for substantial water demand reduction.
- Advances in omics and genomics are elucidating molecular mechanisms of drought tolerance.
- Sorghum offers a practical system for experimental studies, including genome editing, benefiting related crops like maize.
Conclusions:
- Sorghum is a powerful next-generation system for developing climate-resilient agriculture due to its inherent drought tolerance and utility as a model organism.
- Further research and improved genomic tools are needed to fully leverage Sorghum's potential for crop improvement.
- Sorghum-based insights can significantly contribute to enhancing food security in water-limited environments.
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