Researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno have unveiled 200 sorghum varieties that could be a game-changer in the food, brewery, dairy feed and biofuel industry. Preliminary research underscores their exceptional drought tolerance, with some varieties also exhibiting record levels of protein and digestible starch.
The breeding program for the sorghum varieties was established in 2017 at the University’s , a unit of the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources, to develop water-efficient crops suited for the semi-arid Western U.S. The varieties the team has developed may now also present farmers in other regions across the globe with an alternative lower-water-use feed for dairy crops.
"Many dairy feeds and specialty grain crops in the U.S. are facing lower or variable yields due to late frosts, floods, heat and drought associated with climate change, highlighting the need for more resilient alternatives that can thrive under changing climatic conditions,” said Melinda Yerka, the project’s lead researcher and associate professor in the College’s Department of Agriculture, Veterinary & Rangeland Sciences. “Our immediate goal is to collaborate with food scientists and dairy farmers to improve grain yield and farm management practices, which will be important for long-term supply chains.”
In late 2023, Yerka founded Yerka Seeds to complete the development and commercialize the sorghum varieties. With guidance from the University’s , Yerka is refining growth strategies, obtaining financing, and addressing intellectual property needs.
Recognizing the potential of the Yerka Seeds, a commercial seed production company and several university programs seeking less water-intensive dairy feed have developed pilot studies to assess the varieties’ viability as alternative dairy feeds. The results are promising.
“The field trials confirmed that the seeds perform best on 20 to 25 inches of water per year compared to the 30 to 40 inches that most corn and alfalfa varieties require,” Yerka said.
Yerka is now advancing research to identify the optimal combinations of soil type, climate, fertilizer and water that maximize the seed’s potential. She is also conducting economic analyses of life-cycle costs associated with switching from corn or alfalfa to large-seeded sorghums.
Yerka Seeds: Commercialization pathway
Through Yerka Seeds, Yerka plans to license high-performing sorghum varieties to seed companies capable of producing commercial quantities. She also wants to partner with farmers to supply grain to food science companies or produce silage for dairy cattle.
"We want to be nimble and innovative by emphasizing a closed-loop relationship with food and dairy science organizations, allowing them to specify the grain and biomass profiles they need, which we will then develop while keeping their identity and plant preferences confidential," Yerka said. "By focusing on the early stages of commercialization, we’re providing specialty grains at a scale that meets market needs too small for larger companies, bridging a historic gap to diversify the flavors, textures and nutritional profiles of sustainable crops."
Awards and recognition
Last year, Yerka Seeds gained recognition for its innovative work and was selected to participate in the gBETA Reno accelerator program. The free seven-week program, offered by global venture firm gener8tor in partnership with the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development, supports promising startups in pursuing investment opportunities across the U.S.
"What the gBETA program did was help me create a pitch deck and effectively pitch investors and the public," Yerka said. “They helped me make many professional connections in the national plant biotechnology space, including experts in business development, investment and intellectual property.”
Following her participation in the program, Yerka Seeds was selected as one of the top-10 startups in Nevada in 2024 for Reno Startup Week.
"I wouldn’t have had the confidence to pursue a commercial route for my varieties without the University’s mentorship," Yerka said, crediting the University’s Research and Innovation Program and its Small Business Development Center’s guidance in helping her navigate the complexities of starting and scaling the business.
Global use in gluten-free foods and feeds
The new sorghum varieties have already attracted international attention. Building on the promising grain quality profiles, Yerka has partnered with sorghum breeders at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Nairobi, Kenya, to develop similar varieties for climates in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia and Senegal.
“Sorghum originated in Africa, but its unique food qualities remain poorly understood at the genetic level,” Yerka said. “We are working to change that and to develop newer, more high-yielding varieties for foods, feeds and human nutrition.”
Yerka recently consulted on two breeding program reviews organized by the Center in Kenya and its international partners, offering her expertise in sorghum and grain quality. The collaboration focused on evaluating key crop species for Western, Eastern and Southern Africa. Yerka is now traveling between the U.S. and Kenya to conduct inaugural research for integrating her sorghum varieties into the breeding programs.
"Visiting with sorghum breeders taught me that different regions prefer different grain qualities,” she said. “For example, injera, a staple bread in Ethiopia, is best made with waxy starches and soft seeds, while in Senegal, people favor harder seeds for longer shelf life. Fortunately, we have both types of seeds and are already working to identify the genes responsible for these traits to streamline breeding new varieties."
Next move
Yerka is currently focused on securing funding to establish regional on-farm variety testing networks across the Western U.S. Her goal is to provide grain samples for the food and brewery industries to develop new products, identify regions that produce stable flavor and quality traits, and assess the impact of organic and regenerative methods on sorghum quality. She is also seeking funding for her innovative “crossLock technology,” which prevents cross-pollination by normal varieties to protect specialty grain qualities.
"I’m excited about the progress we’ve made in both the University’s Yerka Lab and Yerka Seeds, but we’re just getting started,” Yerka said. “With the right funding and partnerships, the two teams will be able to make real, meaningful changes in agriculture and the food sciences.”
Support and funding for her team’s research has largely come from the University of Nevada, Reno’s Experiment Station; the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, a unit of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture; and a collaboration with Yinping Jiao at Texas Tech University.
