Advances in Sorghum Science

Book excerpt: This new volume, Advances in Sorghum Science: Botany, Production, and Crop Improvement, provides an easy-to-read and comprehensive treatment of the sorghum crop. With the world’s production of sorghum topping over 55 million tons annually, sorghum is very important for as a staple dietary food for much of the world as a rich source of micronutrients and macronutrients, as an ingredient in the processing of many foods, and as a source of fodder. The authors of the volume provide detailed information on sorghum from several disciplines and bring together recent literature under one umbrella. The book covers the various aspects of the sorghum crop, starting from its origin, to its domestication, and going on to biotechnology of the crop. It describes sorghum production, ideotypes, botany, physiology, abiotic and biotic factors affecting crop productivity, methods of cultivation, postharvest management, grain quality analysis for food processing, improvement of sorghum crop, and research advancements in breeding and biotechnology. This valuable resource will be helpful to researchers and scientists working to understand the relation between various disciplines and the implementation of new methods and technology for crop improvement and higher productivity. The multi-pronged approach will help to enable the increase sorghum productivity to meet the world’s growing demands.