Colorado State University researchers are advancing drought tolerance in wheat, corn and sorghum through breeding and genetic research aimed at improving crop resilience as water scarcity continues to challenge agriculture across Colorado and the western United States.
With drought conditions intensified this year by a record low snowpack, the university's crop improvement programs are focused on helping producers maintain productivity while developing genetic discoveries that can support future breeding efforts.
CSU wheat varieties account for about 85% of Colorado's wheat acreage, reflecting decades of collaboration between university researchers and farmers. The Wheat Breeding and Genetics Program has spent more than 60 years developing varieties adapted to the state's dry conditions while also improving resistance to pests and weeds.
The breeding program evaluates experimental lines at 16 farms across Colorado, allowing researchers to test new genetics under the same management practices and environmental conditions experienced by commercial producers. After researchers collect the grain needed for evaluation, the remaining harvest is returned to participating farmers.
Researchers reported that this year's growing season demonstrated the challenges of prolonged drought. Many test locations received no measurable precipitation for about eight months, limiting the crop's ability to recover even after rainfall arrived later in the season. According to the program, modern varieties can now produce yields of about 30 bushels per acre with only a few inches of seasonal precipitation, representing a significant improvement over earlier breeding efforts.
In corn, CSU researchers are investigating the genetic basis of drought tolerance to improve one of the world's most widely grown crops. Although irrigation remains necessary for corn production in Colorado, scientists are identifying genes that help plants maintain productivity under limited soil moisture.
Researchers grow hundreds of genetically distinct corn lines each year at the university's Agricultural Research, Development and Education Center, comparing plants under full irrigation with those receiving reduced water. The work examines how root systems respond to drought and how environmental conditions influence gene expression.
The research combines field trials with genetic analysis to identify traits such as deeper root systems that could improve drought adaptation. The university said it works with seed companies and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center to incorporate promising traits into future hybrid corn varieties.
CSU researchers also are expanding genetic improvement efforts in sorghum, a crop valued for its drought tolerance, nutritional benefits and bioenergy potential. While sorghum occupies relatively limited acreage in the United States, researchers believe it could provide additional opportunities for dryland production across the western Great Plains as water supplies become more limited.
The university's sorghum research program combines computational analysis with greenhouse and field testing to identify genes associated with drought tolerance, pest resistance and improved nutrition. Researchers have identified genetic traits linked to stay-green characteristics and limited transpiration, both of which help sorghum remain productive under drought stress.
Graduate research evaluating sorghum performance in Colorado and Kansas has been supported in part by producer organizations, with researchers emphasizing that breeding priorities are shaped by the needs of farmers, breeding programs and end users.
The university said its crop improvement programs seek to develop practical solutions for producers while expanding scientific understanding of how genetic variation influences plant performance under changing environmental conditions.
Source: Colorado State University, "Researchers targeting drought-tolerance traits in crops"