Water deficit (drought) is an important environmental factor affecting physiological processes in plants. The present work focuses on the study of changes in physiological responses of juvenile plants (plants in the vegetative phase of growth BBCH 14-16) of selected sorghum genotypes Dokok, 30485, Barnard Red and Ruzrok to water deficit and after rehydration. Water deficit affected the observed physiological parameters - gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence. Genotypic differences were also confirmed, with Dokok appearing to be the more sensitive genotype and Ruzrok and Barnard Red appearing to be tolerant. Following rehydration, these parameters increased but did not reach the levels of the control plants. A significant decrease in photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration (E) and fluorescence compared to the control was found in the water-deficient variant twice for 10 days and 6 days between rehydration periods. Only in the variant where water deficit (14 days) was followed by irrigation (10 days) transpiration increased in genotype 30485. Chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) also decreased significantly in this cultivar. The results suggest that a rehydration period of 14 days is insufficient to restore the photosynthetic functions of stressed sorghum plants.

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) is one of the most important cereals in the world; is an important source of bioactive compounds. The germination is a very useful tool to improve the nutraceutical value of cereals, associated with the reduction of chronic-degenerative diseases; the extrusion has a positive effect on microbiological stability and sensory properties. The response of the combined germination-extrusion processes applied under optimised conditions, on proximal composition, in vitro protein digestibility (IVPD), total phenolic compounds (TPC), antioxidant activity (AoxA), hypoglycemic potential and microbiological quality of sorghum grains were studied. Sorghum was processed by germination (37 °C for 69 h) and extrusion [137 °C for 134 rpm (revolutions per minute)]. The germination increased protein content (+21%), insoluble dietary fibre (+50%), IVPD (+10%), TPC (+26%), AoxA (+97%). The extrusion increased soluble dietary fibre (+100%) and IVPD (+13%). The combined germination-extrusion processing reduced the content of total coliforms, total mesophilic aerobics and molds below the maximum limits established by the Mexican Official Standards NOM-147-SSA1-1994. Regarding hypoglycemic potential, germinated sorghum and germinated-extruded sorghum presented the best half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value. The combination of germination-extrusion processes is an effective strategy to increase bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity and inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes.

Sorghum grains contained taxifolin (dihydroquercetin) and taxifolin 7-O-glucoside (T7G). Quercetin and its 7-O-glucoside (Q7G) were formed by heating sorghum grains in distilled water. The formation of the above components was also observed by heating an extract of the grains prepared using 0.1 M sodium phosphate with 0.15 M NaCl (pH 7.0). It was shown that quercetin and Q7G could be formed from taxifolin and T7G, respectively, which were isolated from sorghum grains, by heating around pH 7. The formation of quercetin was accompanied by the formation of two taxifolin isomers, namely, taxifolin 2,3-cis isomer and alphitonin. Two isomers were also formed from T7G accompanying the formation of Q7G, and the characteristics of the isomers were similar to the taxifolin isomers. Taking the mechanism of the isomer formation into account, it is discussed that quercetin and Q7G might be formed by the oxidation of chalcones, which were formed via quinone methides of taxifolin and T7G, respectively.

The ability of sorghum to survive in harsh environments makes it an attractive alternative to maize in Europe. Sorghum is tolerant to drought and high temperatures but is susceptible to cold temperatures. The demand for this crop is expected to increase on the continent due to an increase in nutrition-related diseases and changing climate conditions. According to the IPCC report, the northern parts of Europe are expected to experience short-term gains from the changing climate, while the southern parts are expected to experience largely negative effects. Sorghum grows reliably well in marginalized areas. The crop also has a high nutrient density, which has various positive health effects. Broomcorn sorghum is most widely grown in Europe. The production of grain sorghum and high-biomass sorghum is also increasing. Many research projects on sorghum have been undertaken globally and in Europe to improve its adaptation to temperate environments. The collaborative sorghum conversion program that started in the 1980s between the Tropical Agriculture Research Station (TARS), USDA, ARS, S&E and Texas Agricultural Experiment Station (TAES) converted tall photoperiod-sensitive sorghum from tropical regions to dwarf photoperiod-insensitive sorghum. This allowed for desirable characteristics from tropical lines to be transferred to locally adapted sorghum varieties through conventional and modern breeding methods. Many achievements have been made in improving cold tolerance, heat tolerance, drought tolerance, perennial breeding, and nutritional enhancement. This review provides a brief history of sorghum cultivation in Europe, sorghum production and productivity status, sorghum utilization and importance, existing/existed collaborations between Europe and the rest of the continent on sorghum improvement, sorghum germplasm collection, and the extent of genetic diversity among sorghum germplasm utilized. This review provides a thesis of field and screen-house evaluations and “omic” studies conducted on four sorghum varieties (broom-corn, grain, sweet/high biomass, and forage sorghum) against some of the important temperate sorghum production constraints. The body of research included in this review serves as a baseline for further research focused on enhancing sorghum adaptability to European environments.

In this study, using 2 glutinous sorghum and 2 non-glutinous sorghum as research objects, and their differences in grain appearance color, peel thickness, starch structure and small molecule metabolites were analyzed and compared. The results showed that the grain of 2 glutinous sorghum was red, and the grain of 2 non-glutinous sorghum was white. The thickness of pericarp (pericarp layer and seed layer) of glutinous sorghum (49.35- 78.16 μm) was significantly higher than that of non-glutinous sorghum (33.39-49.03 μm) (P<0.05). The starch grains of glutinous sorghum were mainly oval-shaped and loosely arranged, while those in non-glutinous sorghum were irregular and tightly arranged. There were significant differences in the small molecule metabolites composition among different sorghum varieties. The marker metabolite of glutinous sorghum was catechin, while the marker metabolite of non-glutinous sorghum was 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid. This study revealed significant differences in pericarp thickness, starch morphology, and small molecule metabolites between glutinous and non-glutinous sorghum, which was helpful to distinguish different sorghum varieties and lay a foundation for analyzing the relationship between liquor and grain.

South Sulawesi has been designated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia, as a key sorghum-producing province. The known sorghum varieties from South Sulawesi include Batara Tojeng Eja, Batara Tojeng Bae, and local sorghum from Jeneponto. In Bulukumba Regency, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, local farmers traditionally cultivate local sorghum alongside maize. This study aims to gather information on the agronomic traits, morphological characteristics, nutritional composition, and phytochemical content of local sorghum from Tritiro village, Bulukumba Regency. Agronomic and morphological traits were analyzed through observations of growth and phenotypic features of the leaves, stems, roots, panicles, and seeds of sorghum. Nutritional composition was measured quantitatively, while phytochemical screening was conducted both qualitatively and quantitatively. The results show that local Tritiro sorghum has medium plant height, small stem diameter, medium panicle length, loose panicle shape, and brown seeds. Nutritional analysis revealed that local Tritiro sorghum contains 10.11% protein, 0.19% fat, 86.73% carbohydrates, 68.97% starch, and 9.43 mg g⁻¹ tannins. Local Tritiro sorghum has higher carbohydrate, protein, and fiber content compared to other sorghum varieties from South Sulawesi and exhibits higher tannin content. These findings highlight the potential of local Tritiro sorghum as a valuable nutritional resource and its suitability for cultivation in the region, contributing to food security and sustainable agricultural practices.

Sorghum is starting to be developed continuously in East Manggarai because it is well adapted to the dry climate. Even though it was once cultivated, currently most people do not consume sorghum, even though sorghum has advantages compared to rice and corn. This study aims to describe the public's interest/perception towards sorghum, as well as list the driving factors for developing sorghum productivity and profitability. The study location was chosen deliberately with consideration of the sorghum planting area, and a location that is easily accessible. Melo Village, Nggolon Dari Village, and Compang Ndenjing Village were selected to represent the population in Manggarai Regency. A total of 47 households planted sorghum and all of them were used as samples (Saturated Samples). Collecting information through surveys, field observations, and guided discussions with informants from the Agriculture Service, data was analyzed descriptively and quantitatively. The results of the study found that public interest was quite interested in sorghum as a food ingredient. Several driving factors for the development of sorghum are the availability of land, labor, facilities and infrastructure, and government support. The profitability of sorghum can be seen from the revenue and cost ratio (RCR) of 1.82, which indicates that sorghum is worth developing.

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a resilient cereal crop of substantial agricultural and industrial importance. Recent advancements in omics and biotechnology offer avenues for elevating sorghum productivity, nutritional content, and stress resilience. Omics technologies, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and genetic engineering, play a pivotal role in enhancing sorghum production. Multi-omics analyses offer a molecular understanding of sorghum by shedding light on the mechanisms controlling cell-specific regulation and stress tolerance. The potential and application of omics and biotechnological advances in sorghum are highlighted in this overview. It highlights how these technologies can be used to address global issues pertaining to sustainability and food security. The importance of omics in advancing sorghum research is highlighted by important discoveries and applications like mapping studies, the discovery of differentially expressed genes, and the creation of improved sorghum varieties. Sorghum research is driven by the combination of biotechnological and omics technologies, which can be leveraged to address global food security and agriculture challenges. The integration of these technologies represents a major advancement in sorghum research and cultivation and holds great promise for sustainable agriculture and a secure food supply.

Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) is an important silage crop and has an increasing popularity because of the need for relatively smaller quantities of water per unit dry matter production compared to maize. Regarding to high feed costs of protein supplementations, legumes can be used in livestock nutrition for their high protein content and, thus, providing cost savings. Since legumes have low dry matter yield, acceptable forage yield and quality can be obtained from intercropping cereals and legumes, compared to their sole crops. In this study, sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) and climbing bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) intercropped in different sowing densities and pure sweet sorghum crops were evaluated to the best intercropping system with respect to yield and quality of fodder. Sweet sorghum was sown alone (18.0 seeds/m2) and intercropped with climbing bean as follows: 18.0 seeds/m2 of sweet sorghum and 3.7 seeds/m2 of climbing bean, 18.0 seeds/m2 of sweet sorghum and 5.0 seeds/m2 of climbing bean and 18.0 seeds/m2 of sweet sorghum and 7.5 seeds/m2 of climbing bean. The highest dry matter yield was produced by 18.0 plants/m2 of sweet sorghum and 7.5 plants/m2 of climbing bean (20.7 t/ha), and the lowest by solo sweet sorghum (18.2 t/ha). Intercropping of sweet sorghum with climbing bean reduced neutral detergent fiber content, which in turn, results in increased forage digestibility. Based on forage yield and quality, this study showed that among all intercropped forages, of 18.0 plants/m2 of sweet sorghum and 7.5 plants/m2 of climbing bean treatment were better performing than other intercrops.

In order to investigate the aroma components and characteristic flavor substances of sorghum in the southern and northern regions, using simultaneous distillation-extraction (SDE) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), the steaming aroma and characteristic flavor substances of four sorghum varieties (G1, YN4, G8, G10) from the southern and northern regions were determined. Combined with odor activity value (OAV), the characteristic flavor substances of sorghum in the southern and northern regions were analyzed. The results revealed that a total of 205 aroma components in four sorghum varieties from the southern and northern regions were detected, with 147 detected in two sorghum varieties (G1, YN4) from the southern region, and 121 detected in sorghum varieties (G8, G10) from the northern region. The variety of steaming aroma components in sorghum from the southern region was more abundant than that in sorghum from the northern region. There were 4 common volatile flavor substances in sorghum from the northern region, among which 4-methyphenol was considered as the characteristic flavor substance of sorghum from the northern region (OAV>1), while there were 7 common volatile flavor substances in sorghum from the southern region, among which 4-ethylguaiacol, ethyl caproate, nonanal were considered as the characteristic flavor substances of sorghum from the southern region (OAV>1). On the whole, sorghum from the southern region (G1, YN4) was more consistent with the flavor substances required for Baijiu production in terms of characteristic aroma flavor substances, as well as the types and contents of aroma components.