Texas A&M AgriLife sorghum research may be known for its development of sorghum for animal feed and energy sectors, but cereal eaters across the nation are learning about its contributions to healthier human foods.
“We were targeting the health-food market when we developed the black grain sorghum hybrid Onyx in 2012,” said Bill Rooney, Ph.D., AgriLife Research sorghum breeder and Borlaug-Monsanto Chair for Plant Breeding and International Crop Improvement in the Texas A&M University Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, College Station. The Onyx hybrid was licensed to Silver Pallet Inc., which spent several years in seed increase and commercial production on the Texas High Plains before featuring the product in their Grain Berry cereals.
“Texas A&M AgriLife is working to improve the quantity and quality of food production to benefit human health and ultimately lower health care costs,” said Patrick J. Stover, Ph.D., director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research and vice chancellor and dean for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “Dr. Rooney’s research is a great example of how we can enhance the nutritional quality of the food supply to help manage chronic diseases by targeting quality end-points with human nutrition in mind.”
Continue reading at Texas A&M University
Image via Texas A&M University