THE GOAL OF THIS PROPOSAL ENTITLED CULTIVAR DEVELOPMENT: ENHANCING PRODUCTIVITY BY DEVELOPING GRAIN SORGHUM HYBRIDS USING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR GERMPLASM IS TO DEVELOP A COLLABORATIVE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE RESEARCH PROGRAM TO IMPROVE THE PRODUCTIVITY AND ADAPTATION OF GRAIN SORGHUM HYBRIDS FOR U.S. PRODUCERS. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ARE TO 1) IDENTIFY COMMERCIALLY COMPETITIVE SORGHUM HYBRID CULTIVARS THAT RESULT FROM COMBINATION OF PARENTS FROM DIFFERENT PROGRAMS; 2) PROVIDE A DIRECT PATH FOR THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF THESE ELITE HYBRIDS THROUGH PRIVATE INDUSTRY PARTNER AND 3) DEVELOP LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENT AND SUSTAINABLE COMMERCIALIZATION ACTIVITIES BY THE PUBLIC SECTOR. IN THIS PROPOSAL, WE INITIATE JOINT EFFORTS OF PUBLIC (TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH, TEXAS, KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY AND USDA) AND PRIVATE (S&W SEED COMPANY CO.) SECTORS TO DEVELOP HIGH YIELDING SORGHUM HYBRIDS BY COMBINING THE AVAILABLE POTENTIAL DIVERSIFIED PARENTAL LINES FROM EACH BREEDING PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS THE U.S. SORGHUM INDUSTRY AND SORGHUM PRODUCERS TO INCREASE THE YIELD AND PROFITABILITY AND HELPS THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO DELIVER SEED-BASED TECHNOLOGIES TO THE SORGHUM GROWING COMMUNITY. THESE COMPLEMENTARITY ACTIVITIES WOULD HELP MEET THE TARGET OF REACHING THE NATIONAL AVERAGE YIELD OF 100 BUSHELS PER ACRE. THIS PROPOSAL IS SUBMITTED TO THE USDA AFRI FOUNDATIONAL AND APPLIED SCIENCE PROGRAM AREA: PLANT HEALTH AND PRODUCTION AND PLANT PRODUCTS, PRIORITY AREA: PLANT BREEDING FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION (PRIORITY CODE A1141) AND SPECIFICALLY RESPONSIVE THE LATER STAGES OF CULTIVAR DEVELOPMENT.

Texas A&M Agrilife Research, College Station TX

Investigators