Abstract: Using the natural variation of sweet and grain sorghum to uncover genes that are conserved in rice, sorghum, and sugarcane, but differently expressed in sweet versus grain sorghum by using a microarray platform and the syntenous alignment of rice and sorghum genomic regions containing these genes. Indeed, enzymes involved in carbohydrate accumulation and those that reduce lignocellulose can be identified. Interestingly, C4 photosynthesis is enhanced as well. Furthermore, genetic analysis has shown that a specific microRNA is linked to flowering time and high sugar content in stems.