article · Scientific Reports
Sorghum is a key cereal crop adapted to arid and semi-arid conditions, serving as food, feed, fuel, forage, and a source of bioactive compounds. To address low crop yields, researchers assessed the genetic diversity across ten Moroccan sorghum ecotypes. The study evaluated twenty-five quantitative and seven qualitative agromorphological descriptors alongside phytochemical and antioxidant profiles. Significant variation was observed among the ecotypes, with physical differences becoming particularly apparent during the generative phase in traits such as panicle shape and compactness. Biochemical evaluations also identified varying levels of total phenolics, total flavonoids, and antioxidant activities across the collection. The results show that combining agromorphological and biochemical screening supports more effective selection in breeding programmes, enabling the development of higher-yielding varieties that also supply high-value bioactive compounds for agricultural use.
Sorghum is a vital resilient crop in dry environments, yet average farm yields remain low. Characterising local ecotypes reveals valuable genetic variation that can be directly used in crop breeding. Furthermore, identifying varieties rich in antioxidants and phenolics creates opportunities to produce crops that provide higher nutritional value and functional compounds for health and industrial applications.
This work is early-stage research focused on germplasm characterisation. The findings are primarily relevant to plant breeders and agricultural research organisations developing improved sorghum varieties. While commercial products remain distant, identifying specific ecotypes with superior agronomic traits and bioactive profiles could eventually support the commercialisation of certified seed varieties tailored for farmers and processors of functional foods or animal feed.
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Sorghum, the fifth most important cereal crop, is a well-adapted cereal to arid/semi-arid regions. Sorghum is known for multiple end-uses as food, feed, fuel, forage, and as source of bioactive compounds that could be used for medical applications. Although the great improvement in the process of sorghum breeding, the average yield of this crop is still very low. Therefore, exploring the genetic diversity in sorghum accessions is a critical step for improving this crop. The main objective of the current work was to study the genetic variation existing in a Moroccan sorghum collection. Indeed, 10 sorghum ecotypes were characterized based on agromorphological descriptors. Both quantitative (25) and qualitative (7) traits revealed variability (p < 0.05) among the studied ecotypes. At the seedling stage, most of the ecotypes showed good to high vigor (70%). However, as the sorghum plants grow, the difference between genotypes become more apparent, especially at the generative phase. For instance, three different panicle shapes have been observed, erect (50%), semi-bent (30%), and bent (20%) with different degree of compactness (20% for loose, semi-compact, and compact panicles, and 30% for semi-loose panicles). In another part of this study, the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activities of the sorghum ecotypes have been determined. The results showed variable total phenolic contents, and total flavonoid contents ranging from 125.86 ± 1.36 to 314.91 ± 3.60 mg GAE/g dw and 114.0 ± 13.2 to 138.5 ± 10.8 (mg catechin equivalent/100 g, dw) respectively, with a differential antioxidant activities as well. These results indicate that for any crop breeding program, it is preferable to take into consideration both morphological and biochemical traits for a better selection of high yielding varieties with high added value compounds. Therefore, the implication of these results in the context of sorghum breeding activities could be a resourceful option for farmers.
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DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09810-9
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