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Among cereals, sorghum, a gluten-free cereal is a rich source of bioactive polyphenols and dietary antioxidants. Sorghum polyphenolic compounds were characterized and quantified in five sorghum genotypes by high performance liquid chromatography. Grain samples of five sorghum genotypes were grounded and subjected top extraction for profile of polyphenols via High Performance Liquid Chromotography. Results showed that red and brown pericarp genotypes had higher total proanthocyanidin and total phenolic content, therefore, resulting in overall high antioxidant activities. The phenolic acids that showed the higher antioxidant activity in red (SSG 59-3) and brown (G-46) genotypes were caffeic acid, taxifolin and apigeninidin. SSG 59-3 (20.55 ± 0.11a, 45.66 ± 0.23b, 15.34 ± 0.10c) had higher antioxidant activity evaluated by DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assay. The concentrations of the sorghum-specific 3-deoxyanthocyanidins luteolinidin and apigeninidin were higher in red sorghum. Correlation analysis showed that antioxidant activity had a linear relationship with their polyphenols. Thus, our findings indicated that there is cumulative effect of both high antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds which may be exploited for human food to improve the nutritional value and health properties.

Sorghum is a C4 cereal grain crop which is well adapted to harsh environment. It is a potential model for gaining better understanding of the molecular mechanism due to its wider adaptability to abiotic stresses. In this study, protein extraction was standardized using different methods to study the electrophoretic pattern of sorghum leaves under different salinity levels. The extraction of soluble protein with lysis buffer, followed by its clean-up was found to be the most effective method. The different profiles of salt-responsive proteins were analyzed in G-46 and CSV 44F sorghum genotypes based on their tolerance behavior towards salinity. The kafirin level also changed depending upon the concentration and exposure time to salts suggesting the stored proteins as energy source under stress conditions. The relative expression of salt-responsive genes was studied using Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) which might be used as a molecular screening tool for identification of salt-tolerant genotypes in affected areas. The validated responses were examined in terms of metabolic changes and the expression of stress-induced proteins-viz. heat shock proteins (hsp) via immunoblotting assay. The results showed that the two sorghum genotypes adopted distinct approaches in response to salinity, with G-46 performing better in terms of leaf function. Also, we have standardized different protein extraction methods followed by their clean-up for electrophoretic profiling.