Molecular, physiological and environmental regulation of toxic prussic acid levels (cyanogenesis) in forage sorghum.

饲草高粱广泛种植在澳大利亚干燥的热带地区。叶子含有苦胆素，这是一种天然的防御产物，当叶子组织被破坏时（例如咀嚼时），它会释放出氰化物。问题是，幼苗或正在经历干旱的幼苗具有剧毒，通过降低营养价值、牲畜损失和饲料浪费造成经济损失。利用新的非转基因技术，我们将鉴定出含有可忽略不计的氢氧化钠的新型转基因高粱品系。水平提高的品系可用作土壤生物熏蒸剂。育种者可以利用这种种质资源来开发适合日益干燥的澳大利亚条件的品种。控制苦胆素含量的新品种适合出口。

Forage sorghum is grown widely in dry, tropical areas of Australia. The leaves contain dhurrin, a natural defence product that liberates prussic acid (cyanide) when leaf tissue is disrupted (eg when chewed). The problem is that young plants or those experiencing drought are highly toxic, resulting in financial loss through reduced nutritive value, livestock loss and wasted feed. Using new, non-GM technology we will identify novel genetically altered sorghum lines with negligible prussic acid. Lines with enhanced levels could be used as soil biofumigants. Breeders can use this germplasm to develop varieties tailored for increasingly dry Australian conditions. The new varieties with controlled dhurrin content will be suitable for export.