Sorghum2035: A decadal vision for sorghum functional genomics and molecular breeding

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), the fifth most important cereal crop worldwide, serves as a staple food in arid and semi-arid regions and is a critical resource for livestock forage, bioenergy production, and industrial applications. Owing to its relatively small genome and strong tolerance to abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity-alkalinity, and heat, sorghum has emerged as an important model crop for abiotic stress research. This Perspective article synthesizes recent advances on sorghum genomics, including the development of gapless reference genome assemblies, pan-genome analyses of extensive structural variation, and population resequencing studies that have uncovered domestication signatures and loci associated with stress adaptation. We also summarize the progress in sorghum genetic resource collection, selection strategies, and breeding improvement. Functional genetic studies have identified key genes regulating yield-related traits, quality attributes, and tolerance to both abiotic and biotic stresses. In molecular breeding, notable achievements include the establishment of efficient transformation systems, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing enhanced by morphogenic regulators, and the development of mutagenized populations for gene function validation. Nevertheless, major challenges remain, particularly in functional dissection of complex quantitative traits, the integration of multi-omics datasets, and genotype-dependent transformation efficiency. Future research directions emphasize the exploitation of wild germplasm, in-depth analysis of structural variation, population-scale transcriptomics, investigation of plant-microbiome interactions, and the application of AI-driven intelligent breeding approaches. Together, these strategies are expected to accelerate the development of climate-resilient sorghum varieties, thereby enhancing global food security and supporting sustainable bioenergy production.