Multi-trait improvement of sorghum: co-expression of bar, mcry1Ab, and mvip3A enhances herbicide tolerance and pest resistance

Sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor ) has held significant historical importance and economic value for centuries. As consumer demands have diversified in recent years, the need for sorghum in industrial sectors such as brewing and food processing has grown substantially. However, competition from weeds and damage caused by lepidopteran pests greatly limit the yield and quality of sorghum. Developing genetically modified sorghum varieties that are both herbicide tolerant and insect resistant is an effective approach to address these challenges. In this study, we stably co-expressed codon-optimized versions of the insect resistance genes mcry1Ab and mvip3A and the bar gene in sorghum using Agrobacterium -mediated genetic transformation. The genetically modified sorghum line can withstand treatment with the herbicide glufosinate at doses up to four times higher than the recommended field level and demonstrated strong resistance to lepidopteran pests such as Ostrinia furnacalis , Mythimna separata , and Spodoptera frugiperda . This new transgenic sorghum germplasm, which has enhanced resistance to both herbicides and insects, offers valuable genetic material for sorghum breeding and could help boost the competitiveness of the sorghum industry.