University of Nevada researchers develop 200 drought-tolerant sorghum varieties for dairy feed

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 industries due to their exceptional drought tolerance.

Associate Professor Melinda Yerka and her team at the University of Nevada, Reno have been developing the sorghum varieties since 2017 at the Experiment Station, 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 may also provide farmers in other regions around the world with an alternative feed for dairy crops that uses less water.

Yerka explained, “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. 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, she founded Yerka Seeds to complete the development and commercialize the sorghum varieties. 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. Yerka shared promising results: “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 is now researching the optimal combinations of soil type, climate, fertilizer, and water that maximize the seed’s potential, and conducting economic analyses of life-cycle costs associated with switching from corn or alfalfa to large-seeded sorghums. She intends to license high-performing sorghum varieties to seed companies capable of producing commercial quantities, and hopes to partner with farmers to supply grain to food science companies or produce silage for dairy cattle.

In 2024, Yerka Seeds was selected as one of the top 10 startups in Nevada for Reno Startup Week. “I’m excited about the progress we’ve made in both the University’s Yerka Lab and Yerka Seeds,” Yerka shared, “but we’re just getting started. With the right funding and partnerships, the two teams will be able to make real, meaningful changes in agriculture and the food sciences.”

Source: University of Nevada, Reno

To view source article, visit:

https://www.unr.edu/nevada-today/news/2025/yerka-sorghum-research

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