Sorghum technical conference brings researchers to Amarillo

The High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal

Researchers from around the country gathered in Amarillo in mid-August to discuss innovations in the sorghum industry.

The Great Plains Sorghum Conference, in conjunction with the Sorghum Improvement Conference of North America, brings some of the country's leading researchers together to discuss genomics, biotechnology, and other projects over two days of presentations and field trips.

One such researcher was Lloyd Rooney, professor at Texas A&M University, who was presenting some of his research into sweet sorghum advancements. He explained that sorghum can be used as a dedicated bioenergy crop either as fuel for electrical plants, or in a thermochemical conversion such as to create biofuels. While it may not be practical, as yet, to grow sweet sorghums strictly for the bioenergy industry in the Texas Panhandle, Rooney explained that researching the genetics of sweet sorghums may allow for advancements in other sorghum varieties.

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