PubMed · 2026-06-07
Scientists scanned the genomes of 69 sorghum plants to find genes shaped by thousands of years of human farming and natural selection. They pinpointed a small set of genes likely responsible for drought tolerance, disease resistance, and seed quality — traits that made sorghum one of the world's most important grains.
Four ion transporter genes showing signs of selective sweeps all map to genomic regions linked to drought resilience, making them strong candidates for engineering more water-efficient sorghum.
15 genes carry damaging mutations that are fixed differently between wild and domesticated sorghum, with 2 disease-resistance genes showing statistical signatures of very recent selection pressure.
22 genes show convergent selection across sorghum, maize, and rice — meaning independent domestication events across three major cereals repeatedly favored changes in the same biological pathways.
