Bioscience Evidence 2025, Vol.15, No.6, 270-279 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/be 276 disease-resistant genes, QTLS and defense-related genes (Birhanu et al., 2024). Pan-genomics research has also enabled us to observe genetic differences among different sorghum varieties, including some new resistance alleles. These resources can be further used for disease-resistant breeding. 7.2 CRISPR/Cas genome editing Gene editing technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 have brought significant breakthroughs to disease-resistant sorghum breeding. By precisely modifying disease-resistant genes or susceptibility genes, resistance can be more accurately enhanced. For instance, after knocking out the related SL biosynthesis genes in sorghum with CRISPR/Cas9, the resistance of sorghum to the parasitic weed Striga was significantly enhanced (Weldemichael et al., 2024). Furthermore, the CRISPR/Cas system can also be used to regulate stress-resistant genes, disease defense pathways, and even achieve simultaneous improvement of multiple traits (Srivastava et al., 2025). 7.3 Multi-omics integration Multi-omics analysis (such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) has become an important method for studying the disease resistance of sorghum. Looking at these data together can help us more systematically identify disease-resistant genes, signaling pathways and key metabolites, and understand the relationships among them. For example, after the combined analysis of transcriptome and metabolome, it can be seen that sorghum will focus on activating pathways such as flavonoid and phenylpropyl metabolism when responding to fungal diseases and abiotic stresses (such as salt, cadmium, drought) (Ren et al., 2022; Jiao et al., 2023; Yue et al., 2025). Multi-omics also helps to discover new disease-resistant markers and candidate genes, which can accelerate the breeding process (Birhanu et al., 2024; Ahn et al., 2025). 7.4 Microbiome assisted defense The microbial communities on the roots and leaves of sorghum also play a significant role in the process of disease resistance. Studies have found that diseases such as anthracnose can alter the composition and network structure of the leaf surface and endophytic microbiome of sorghum, and this change can instead enhance the plant's own resistance (Chen et al., 2024). Some beneficial microorganisms (such as Trichoderma, Bacillus, PGPR, etc.) can also assist sorghum in various ways, such as inducing systemic resistance, secreting antibacterial substances, and improving nutrient absorption, thereby making sorghum more disease-resistant and growing better (Yadav et al., 2023). With the development of microbiome engineering and biocontrol products, green management methods for sorghum diseases will become more diverse (Chen et al., 2024). 8 Conclusions and Prospects The defense of sorghum against major diseases (such as anthracnose, valley mold, aphids, etc.) relies on multi-level molecular mechanisms. These mechanisms include recognizing the PAMP signals of pathogens, initiating multiple signaling pathways (such as MAPK and hormone pathways), expressing a large number of disease-resistant genes (such as NLR receptors, PR proteins, and antimicrobial peptides), and generating metabolites such as 3-deoxyanthocyanins. These reactions together enable sorghum to have a strong defense against fungi, bacteria and insects. Technologies such as molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS), GWAS, QTL mapping and genome editing have significantly accelerated the discovery and utilization of disease-resistant genes. For instance, in-depth research on NLR genes such as ARG1 and the precise localization of multiple QTLS have provided reliable evidence for breeding in areas like anthracnose resistance and aphid resistance. Meanwhile, the joint analysis of multiple omics (transcriptomics, metabolomics, proteomics) helps us gain a more comprehensive understanding of the resistance regulatory network and also provides more clues for the discovery of new resistance genes. The joint advancement of traditional breeding methods (such as field resistance screening and germplasm utilization) and molecular techniques (such as marker-assisted selection, gene editing and transgenic) is the key path to enhancing the broad-spectrum resistance of sorghum. By conducting large-scale screening of resistant resources, aggregating polyresistant genes with molecular markers, and integrating systems biology and precise phenotypic analysis, the breeding efficiency and resistance stability of disease-resistant varieties can be significantly enhanced.
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