International Journal of Molecular Evolution and Biodiversity, 2025, Vol.15, No.2, 73-83 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmeb 78 In Africa, sorghum is not only a crop that can satisfy hunger, but it is also deeply embedded in the local way of life and traditional agriculture. For example, in Ethiopia, a land believed to be the origin of sorghum, various types of sorghum emerge one after another - this is actually the result of evolution and the imprint of sorghum's long-term adaptation to different ecological environments (Enyew et al., 2022). It may seem like a local characteristic, but behind it lies important genetic information. This local diversity is not only related to Africa's own food security, but also has practical significance for the whole world. Many useful traits, such as heat tolerance, drought tolerance, or flexible growth period, are hidden in these local varieties. Reasonably utilizing them may help us develop new sorghum varieties that are adaptable to climate change. Ultimately, the protection and development of African sorghum resources are no longer just regional affairs, but strategic issues related to the future direction of global agriculture (Tao et al., 2021). 5.2 Research methods and main findings In order to uncover the secrets behind the genetic diversity of African sorghum, scientists have used many "hard tools". Technologies such as GBS (genotyping sequencing), microsatellite markers, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are currently the mainstream methods. Taking West Africa as an example, the WASAP project collected 756 sorghum samples from multiple countries. Researchers have screened multiple genes related to key traits such as flowering time and plant height using GBS technology (Figure 2) (Faye et al., 2021). These achievements not only provide us with a clearer understanding of African sorghum, but also offer a practical genetic basis for precision breeding in the future. In Southern Africa, scientists studied 22 sorghum types. They used both DNA tools and physical trait measurements. The study found big differences between the samples. This means those types could be helpful in breeding stronger and better sorghum (Motlhaodi et al., 2016). Figure 2 Neighbor-joining analysis of the West African sorghum association panel (WASAP) (Adopted from Faye et al., 2021) Image caption: Clustering of the WASAP accessions (MaWASAP, Mali; NiWASAP, Niger; SnWASAP, Senegal, and TgWASAP, Togo) in relationship with other West African sorghums in GRIN (SnGRIN, Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania; NiGRIN, Niger; NGrGRIN, Nigeria) and global sorghum diversity panel (GDP). The color coding of the tree edges is based on the ADMIXTURE ancestral populations (G-I to G-VIII, including admixed accessions) of the WASAP. The edges in yellow, dark gray, and light gray represent admixed WASAP accessions (<0.6 ancestry fraction), West African sorghum in USDA-GRIN (WASGRIN) accessions, and GDP accessions, respectively. The color coding of the tree tips indicate accessions origin, with black tips indicating West African sorghum accessions in the GDP (WASGDP) (Adopted from Faye et al., 2021)
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