Special Report

A breakthrough in sorghum breeding technology

During a Commodity Classic news conference, the United Sorghum Checkoff Program and DuPont Pioneer announced the development of “a major new tool for sorghum improvement”.

It involves the discovery by DuPont Pioneer research scientists of two sorghum haploid inducer lines. The patent-pending inducer lines enable the creation of doubled haploid sorghum, which is the first step to significantly accelerating the sorghum breeding process.

Their work is part of a three-year research collaboration effort between the sorghum checkoff program and DuPont Pioneer.

Speaking at the news conference were DuPont Pioneer research scientist Cleve Franks and Sorghum Checkoff crop improvement director Justin Weinheimer.

AUDIO: Excerpts from news conference