The United Sorghum Checkoff Program is partnering with the University of California and its Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources to advance the sorghum industry.
The five-year partnership will promote drought resilience in sorghum and increase demand for the cereal crop in the biofuel and bioproduct markets.
While the research will be conducted in California, the results will benefit sorghum producers throughout the country.
“We are excited to launch such a unique program aimed at helping address the world’s pressing water issues while at the same time increasing demand for a drought-tolerant crop like sorghum,” says Norma Ritz Johnson, USCP executive director.
“The program is in perfect alignment with the Sorghum Checkoff’s goal of increasing producer profitability as drought and water scarcity is a challenge faced by most sorghum producers in the U.S.”
In addition, Johnson says with the recent focus on renewable energy production, promoting a versatile crop like sorghum in biofuel and bioproduct markets is a timely endeavor.
Key activities will include breeding, gene discovery, phenotyping, and research related to the impacts of roots, soil microbes, photosynthesis, and management on drought resilience.
