Sorghum hybrids with improved grain protein and essential amino acids: Implications for nutritional security

Abstract

Cereals serve as the major source of calories, both in animal feed and human food. Although they are lower in protein compared to animal sources, they contribute about 39% to the global protein supply. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) is grown as principal food cereal in the semiarid tropics and as feed grain in the developed world. While animal products provide well-balanced essential amino acids in human diet, low-income households in developing countries suffer from protein malnutrition due to limited access to animal proteins. Crop cultivars with enhanced nutritional profiles may help reduce the problem. In this paper, novel sorghum germplasm with enhanced protein and essential amino acids lysine and leucine is described. Diverse breeding populations involving high-protein sources were initiated and advanced using pedigree breeding method with initial selection based on agronomic merits. Nutritional evaluation was conducted at an advanced stage, and lines with significantly higher protein profiles were tested in hybrid combination across locations in the United States and Ethiopia. The study identified a series of lines and hybrids with superior agronomic performance that also possess up to 90% higher protein and essential amino acids lysine and leucine. These results imply that well-thought-out breeding efforts can lead to significant improvement in sorghum nutritional traits for better nutritional security for smallholder farmers. The results are equally applicable to domestic sorghum production and utilization, especially in animal feed.