Applying genotyping (TILLING) and phenotyping analyses to elucidate gene function in a chemically induced sorghum mutant population

Abstract

Background: Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is ranked as the fifth most important grain crop and serves as a major food staple and fodder resource for much of the world, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. The recent surge in sorghum research is driven by its tolerance to drought/heat stresses and its strong potential as a bioenergy feedstock. Completion of the sorghum genome sequence has opened new avenues for sorghum functional genomics. However, the availability of genetic resources, specifically mutant lines, is limited. Chemical mutagenesis of sorghum germplasm, followed by screening for mutants altered in important agronomic traits, represents a rapid and effective means of addressing this limitation. Induced mutations in novel genes of interest can be efficiently assessed using the technique known as Targeting Induced Local Lesion IN Genomes (TILLING).

Identification of variability for agronomically important traits in rice mutant families

“…Seed structure may vary from species to species, which can influence the efficacy of the mutagenic agent. For example, in paddy rice, the chemical product used must penetrate the husk first and then interact with the embryo, inducing mutation (Xin et al 2008).…”

QTL mapping of forage yield and forage yield component traits in Sorghum bicolor x S. sudanense

“…Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is ranked as the fifth most important grain crop worldwide; it is a major food staple and fodder resource (Xin et al, 2008). It also plays a huge role in the world market as a means of livelihood for millions of subsistence farmers (Duodu et al, 2003).…”

Functionalized Polymers from Lignocellulosic Biomass: State of the Art

“…Furthermore, the brittle stalk2 mutant is a mutant with aerial parts that are easily broken as a result of altered interactions among cell wall polymers [249]. A collection of maize mutants identified based on altered near infrared reflectance spectra of their leaves is available [250], and similar resources exist for sorghum [251,252]. It is likely that more detailed characterization of these collections will reveal mutants with modified cell wall polymers.…”