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Herbicide tolerance in sorghum only steps awayBy Jennifer M. Latzke National Sorghum Producers are two steps closer to breeding herbicide tolerance into the sorghum crop. Jeff Dahlberg, Director of Research, NSP, shared the latest on the two projects concerning new methods of weed control in sorghum with members at the 2008 National Sorghum Producers Annual Convention Feb. 12. In a survey of producers last year, producers told NSP that weed control and yield were the top issues they would like researched. In November 2006 the Sorghum Foundation collaborated with CIBUS to develop ACCase traits in sorghum, which would provide over-the-top applied chemical weed control. The technology in use is called Rapid Trait Development Technology or RTDS. "Here, we're changing just a single base pair in the DNA target sequence," Dahlberg explained. Because the process still uses the information from the sorghum genome, and conventional plant breeding techniques, it technically results in a non-biotech crop. On the CIBUS project, scientists have identified a protein in the sorghum plant that when changed makes the sorghum tolerant to ACCase products. "We're using endogenous genes in the plant, which are stable," Dahlberg said. "From there, we put the trait into a crop like rice and then test. The new trait is highly inheritable and at most times is a dominate gene." At Kansas State University, scientists are working on developing ALS-inhibiting herbicide tolerance in sorghum. This project uses several germplasm lines and backcrosses the trait into sorghum. Earlier this month, K-State and Dupont announced a partnership to commercialize this trait out of KSU. It is important to understand that the two projects will not result in a GMO crop, said Tim Lust, chief executive officer of NSP. "Both projects are using technology that is available and the scientific community is comfortable with," he said. "This still keeps sorghum as a non-GMO crop and our niche markets are not in jeopardy. However, there are still opportunities in the genetically modified realm that private industry needs to look at." Jennifer M. Latzke can be reached by phone at 620-227-1807, or by e-mail at jlatzke@hpj.com. 3/10/08 Date: 3/4/08
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