Assembling and Screening Off-Patent Elite Sorghum Germplasm for Northern Plains Adaptation with Farmer-Led Participatory Selection

Commodities

Practices

This project, titled "Assembling and Screening Off-Patent Elite Sorghum Germplasm for Northern Plains Adaptation with Farmer-Led Participatory Selection," addresses the lack of commercial hybrid variety development and limited seed industry support for sorghum in the Northern Great Plains. Specifically, it aims to identify sorghum inbred parents well-suited to the environmental challenges of the North Central Region, particularly shifting rainfall, drought, and cold. Sorghum's inherent drought tolerance and efficient water use make it an ideal crop for this region, provided locally adapted germplasm is available. To achieve this goal, we will evaluate elite germplasm sourced from across the USA, conduct genetic profiling, and work with local farmers to select and test sorghum in regions.

The core objectives are threefold: 1) Evaluate a gentically varied panel of off-patent elite sorghum germplasm for adaptability and yield potential under short, cool growing seasons. This will determine how well these lines, originally developed for southern growing conditions, perform in northern conditions. 2) Develop a genetic marker database for these elite lines to facilitate targeted breeding efforts and genomic selection, accelerating the development of new hybrid varieties in the future. 3) Establish farmer partnerships to cultivate commercial sorghum, gathering real-world feedback on its ease of cultivation, potential obstacles, and profitability through participatory evaluations. This participatory approach will involve farmers who have and have not recently grown sorghum, providing valuable insights into production barriers.

Expected outcomes include the identification of parental lines for developing new sorghum hybrids with high yields, cold tolerance, and adaptability to shorter growing seasons. This improved germplasm will support resilient agriculture by providing a reliable grain feed source for livestock and a feedstock for biofuel production, thus benefiting local economies and enhancing environmental sustainability. This project empowers farmers and ranchers in the North Central Region to adopt resilient cropping systems that improve adaptability, addressing critical challenges related to dynamic growing conditions. By identifying and promoting sorghum germplasm adapted to the northern plains, this project offers an alternative crop rotation to traditional staples, improving soil health, reducing pest pressure, and contributing to energy resilience. Participatory evaluations will involve farmers who have not recently grown sorghum so that they can provide more insights into the production barriers that may prevent others from choosing sorghum in their rotations.

Objective 1: Development and Evaluation of Off-Patent Elite Germplasm Panel for Northern Plains Conditions.

Learning-Outcome: Gain detailed knowledge of the performance and adaptability of off-patent elite sorghum lines across Northern Plains environments, focusing on traits such as early flowering, cold tolerance, plant height, vigor, plot yield, and seed quality.

Action-Outcome: Incorporate top-performing lines into the future breeding program to enhance sorghum germplasm with traits suited for shorter growing seasons and cooler growing conditions.. Utilize findings to establish a reliable training population that will serve as a foundation for developing future genomic selection models to accelerate the breeding of resilient, high-yielding sorghum varieties.

Objective 2: Genetic Profiling and Allelic Selection of Off-Patent Elite Germplasm.

Learning-Outcome: Identify genomic regions and the genetic markers associated with traits critical to adaptation and performance in the Northern Plains, including flowering time, cold tolerance, yield, and plasticity. Enhance understanding of genetic diversity, population structure, and linkage disequilibrium within the germplasm panel.

Action-Outcome: Leverage identified trait-linked markers to guide breeding efforts through genomic selection and marker-assisted selection. Develop heterotic groups and select genetically diverse parents to enhance yield potential, stress resilience, and overall adaptation. Establish a genomic resource platform to streamline sorghum improvement efforts in the Northern Plains.

Objective 3: Farmer-Led Participatory Selection of Elite Germplasm for Northern Plains.

Learning-Outcome: Increase farmer awareness of sorghum's economic and environmental benefits. Enhance understanding of farmer-preferred traits and management practices that influence sorghum adoption.

Action-Outcome: Identify practical barriers to sorghum production and incorporate farmer feedback into the breeding process to enhance germplasm suitability. Promote broader adoption of sorghum through farmer engagement, training, and dissemination of top-performing lines.