Sorghum Survival Gene Located For Acidic Soils
25 November 2008 US Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service (ARS) –- together with a scientist from Embrapa Maize and Sorghum, a branch of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), Brazil’s federal agricultural research agency –- has identified a gene that protects sorghum from aluminum in acidic soils. Acidic soils often have aluminum levels that are toxic to food plants such as sorghum, reports ARS, whose finding could help breeders develop sorghum varieties that can survive in these soils.
The gene in sorghum is similar to ALTM1, the aluminum-tolerance gene in wheat, which, when activated, triggers the release of malic acid, which bonds with the aluminum and neutralizes its toxic effect. In sorghum, the aluminum tolerance gene prompts the release of citric acid, which also binds to soil aluminum. This activity is only activated in the roots of aluminum-tolerant sorghum when aluminum is present in the soil.
ARS and EMBRAPA researchers are now engaged in collaborative projects with plant breeders in Africa to develop aluminum-tolerant sorghum varieties for cultivation in African soils.
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