A study on a sorghum population at Kansas State University helps researchers better understand why a crop hybrid often performs better than either of its parent lines, a phenomenon known as heterosis.
The findings are specific to plant height in sorghum, but a Kansas State University agronomist says they will likely be applicable to other economically important traits, such as crop yield.
The research, “Dissecting repulsion linkage in the dwarfing gene Dw3 region for sorghum plant height provides insights into heterosis,” was published Sept. 8 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Researchers say that plant breeders can use these findings to influence plant height in new sorghum lines. Eventually, the results will help to improve many other desirable traits in sorghum.
More information is available here: http://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/sept15/sorghum91015.html
