Field Crop 2025, Vol.8, No.1, 1-10 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/fc 1 Feature Review Open Access Innovation and Application of Hybrid Breeding Techniques in Sorghum ShiyingYu Biotechnology Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, China Corresponding email: shiying.yu@cuixi.org Field Crop, 2025, Vol.8, No.1 doi: 10.5376/fc.2025.08.0001 Received: 01 Nov., 2024 Accepted: 10 Dec., 2024 Published: 01 Jan., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Yu, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Yu S.Y., 2025, Innovation and application of hybrid breeding techniques in sorghum, Field Crop, 8(1): 1-10 (doi: 10.5376/fc.2025.08.0001) Abstract Sorghum is an important staple crop, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, where its adaptability to harsh conditions makes it critical for food security and bioenergy. Hybrid breeding has emerged as a key strategy to improve sorghum production performance, overcoming the limitations of traditional breeding techniques. In this study, we explored the integration of molecular markers, genomic selection, and genetic engineering in sorghum hybrid development. A case study was conducted in a region where advanced hybrid breeding methods were used to achieve significant improvements in yield, drought tolerance, and insect resistance. This review highlights the advantages of hybrid breeding, such as enhanced genetic diversity and nutritional quality, while acknowledging the remaining technical, economic, and sustainability challenges. Looking ahead, this study highlights the potential of emerging technologies, including precision breeding and artificial intelligence, to further advance sorghum hybrids. Continued investment and research are recommended to optimize the long-term sustainability and agricultural impact of hybrid breeding. Keywords Sorghum; Hybrid breeding; Molecular markers; Genetic engineering; Crop improvement 1 Introduction When you think of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), you might first think of the bright red ears of corn in rural areas of the north. In fact, this crop is the real star in arid regions such as sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia (Prasad et al., 2021; Ruperao et al., 2021). Although it looks inconspicuous, sorghum can grow particularly well in places where even corn cannot survive-this is thanks to its natural drought resistance. But then again, people now grow sorghum not just to fill their stomachs (Adebo, 2020), although it is indeed a staple food for millions of people. In recent years, more and more sorghum has been processed into feed and biofuel (Tao et al., 2021), especially today when climate change is becoming more and more obvious, the value of this crop has become more prominent. When it comes to sorghum breeding, hybridization technology has helped a lot now (Guo, 2024). But what's interesting is that although traditional breeding methods have been used for many years, it is these hybrid varieties that have really greatly improved yield and resistance (Perazzo et al., 2017; Kumar et al., 2022). Look at those new varieties that are drought-tolerant and insect-resistant. In fact, they are all good traits "scoured" from the huge gene pool of sorghum (Yahaya et al., 2023). Of course, luck alone is not enough. Now with the help of genomic technology, breeding efficiency is much higher. Especially today when climate change is becoming more and more troublesome, these new varieties not only have higher yields, but are also more stable to grow. In the final analysis, hybrid breeding has become an indispensable means of improving sorghum, and it is still improving. This time, we mainly want to find out what breakthroughs sorghum hybrid breeding can bring. To be honest, it is becoming more and more difficult to farm now-either drought or flood, and there are more and more pests and diseases. So we focused on two directions: one is to see how rich the genes of sorghum itself are (after all, the more diverse the genes, the greater the breeding potential), and the other is to actually test whether these hybrid varieties can withstand the harsh environment and whether the yield can be increased. In terms of methods, we have looked through a lot of the latest research materials and sorted out all the tricks of hybrid breeding-from how to choose parents to how to combine good genes together. Of course, it is not enough to just look at the theory, we also have to see how these hybrid sorghums actually perform in the field, such as whether they can stabilize the yield in drought areas, or whether they can survive in
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNA==