Response of Sweet Sorghum Genotypes for Biomass, Grain Yield and Ethanol Production under Different Fertility Levels in Rainfed Conditions

Background: Sweet sorghum (Sorghum saccharatum (L.) Moench) is a unique crop with great potential to serve both the food and energy industries. It is due to the possibility of (bio)ethanol production both from the juice and biomass of this crop. The sorghum stems juice contains sugar in the levels similar to that of sugarcane. Besides, low cultivation requirements for the sweet sorghum make this crop even more attractive for sugar and ethanol production. In terms of technology, sweet sorghum is seen as a transitional feedstock for the first to the second generation bioethanol production. However, effective technological development of the plant cultivation and processing in the Northern and Central Ukraine is restrained by the lack of a collection of sweet sorghum genotypes and adapted varieties for its large-scale cultivation. Additionally, no evaluations of potential (bio)ethanol productivity have been performed for this region, which is important for efficient implementation of novel biofuel-producing technologies and for successful development of a green economy. Objective: This research was aimed to create a pool of sweet sorghum genotypes with the involvement of worldwide germplasm, analyze their morphology and breed high-yielding plant lines for the efficient production of liquid biofuels for second-generation bioenergy. Based on that, we also aimed to explore the prospects regarding the efficiency of sweet sorghum cultivation for (bio)ethanol production in the Northern and Central Ukraine. Methods and Materials: A valuable gene pool of S. saccharatum (L.) Moench (41 samples) was created; in particular, high-performance genotypes were created for cultivation under the soil-climatic conditions of Ukraine. The bio-morphological features and the yield potential of the plants were determined and the biochemical composition of the phyto-raw materials was determined in different periods of vegetation, in particular, during the technical ripeness of the above-ground mass of plants. The more productive forms and varieties of sugar sorghum in terms of yield, dry matter content, sugar, and energy value of biomass during flowering and waxy ripeness are highlighted. The technological properties of plant biomass for the production of alternative liquid fuels (in particular, bioethanol) have been analyzed. Importantly, optimal cultivation conditions have been elaborated for the newly created sweet sorghum genotypes, and their productivity has also been evaluated. Moreover, for the first time, a detailed study on potential ethanol yield has been conducted. Results: Sweet sorghum has considerable potential in Ukraine as a new sugar-producing energy crop. The germplasm collection of this crop has been created (41 accessions), including introduced and acclimated genotypes and newly bred lines and varieties. The biological performance of sorghum in Ukraine and plant morphology have been analyzed. The most promising genotypes were used for breeding of new high-productive sweet sorghum varieties. The potential (bio)ethanol yield for different sugar feedstocks (juice, grain bagasse) can reach up to 11423 L/ha in total from juice, grain and bagasse. Conclusion: The estimated values of ethanol productivity are comparable to the results of other similar investigations. In conclusion, a high performance of sweet sorghum in Ukraine can be suggested.

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Sweet sorghum: broth clarification with enzymatic treatment increases the quality of the fermentation wort for ethanol production

Bioscience Journal ◽

10.14393/bj-v37n0a2021-54172 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 37 ◽

pp. e37094

Author(s):

Osania Emerenciano Ferreira ◽

Gustavo Henrique Gravatim Costa ◽

Aline Ferreira Silva ◽

Nayara Abrão Montijo ◽

Miguel Angelo Mutton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ethanol Production ◽

Sweet Sorghum ◽

Fermentation Broth ◽

Enzymatic Treatment ◽

Raw Material ◽

Biofuel Production ◽

Amylolytic Enzymes ◽

Fermentation Efficiency ◽

Sorghum Genotypes

Sweet sorghum is currently being evaluated throughout the world as a raw material for biofuel production because its stem juices are rich in sugars that can be directly fermented to ethanol. In this work, the fermentative efficiency of three sweet sorghum genotypes was evaluated, aiming at ethanol production, harvested in two seasons, clean and whole stems, and the treatment of the juice and broth with amylolytic enzymes in order to use the present starch to increase the production of ethanol. The experiment was carried out in the 2013/2014 harvest, in the municipality of Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brasil, located at 21°14’05’’S and 48°17’09’’W. The experimental design was completely randomized, with sub-subdivided plots and four replications. The primary treatments were the sweet sorghum genotypes (CV147, CV198, and BRS508), the secondary treatments, the type of harvest (whole stems and clean stems); the tertiary the two sampling times (102 and 116 days after sowing - d.a.s) and the quaternary the application of enzymes. In the fermentation process, the yeast PE-2 was used, at the end, the wine was recovered and characterized. Fermentation efficiency and liters of ethanol per ton of sorghum were calculated. The clarification of the juice with enzymatic treatment increases the quality of the fermentation broth and makes it possible to obtain wines with lower levels of RRTs and Brix. Fermentation efficiency is not affected by the genotype; however, it is influenced by the time of harvest and the technological quality of the juice. The use of amylolytic enzymes makes it possible to obtain wines with lower levels of RRTS and Brix. The best period of industrialization was at 102 d.a.s., and the processing of whole stalks resulted in less ethanol production.

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Biomass, grain yield, ethanol production, and energy cogeneration of sweet sorghum irrigated with domestic sewage effluent

Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery ◽

10.1007/s13399-021-01894-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Raniere Barbosa de Lira ◽

Miguel Ferreira-Neto ◽

Nildo da Silva Dias ◽

José Francismar de Medeiros ◽

Raimundo Fernandes de Brito ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Ethanol Production ◽

Sweet Sorghum ◽

Domestic Sewage ◽

Sewage Effluent

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Yield Stability of Sweet Sorghum Genotypes for Bioenergy Production Under Contrasting Temperate and Tropical Environments

Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.5539/jas.v10n12p42 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 42

Author(s):

Diana-Abasi Udoh ◽

Søren K. Rasmussen ◽

Sven-Erik Jacobsen ◽

Godfrey A. Iwo ◽

Walter de Milliano

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Analysis Of Variance ◽

Sweet Sorghum ◽

Block Design ◽

Yield Stability ◽

Biofuel Production ◽

Environment Interaction ◽

Yield Attributes ◽

Fresh Biomass ◽

Sorghum Genotypes

Forty-three sweet sorghum accessions were grown in two contrasting environments; Nigeria (tropical environment) and Denmark (temperate environment). The objectives were to determine the interaction between genotype and environment on grain yield, fresh biomass and stem sugar, and to assess yield stability of sweet sorghum and identify the best genotypes for biofuel production. The sweet sorghum originating from a Dutch and ICRISAT collection was grown in randomized complete block design in three replicates for two years (2014 and 2015). The combined analysis of variance of the sweet sorghum genotypes in two years over the two contrasting environments revealed that year (Y), genotype (G), environment (E) and genotype by environment interaction (GEI) were significant in the entire biofuel yield attributes obtained from both Dutch and ICRISAT collections except the degree of Brix and fresh biomass respectively across the year. The year and genotype interaction (Y×G) was not significant in all the biofuel attributes of Dutch accessions. Additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis of variance showed significant effect of G, E and the GEI. The AMMI was used to identify the best performing, adaptable and more stable genotypes. Twenty-two genotypes of both ICRISAT and Dutch accessions were identified to be stable across the two locations with respect to different biofuel attributes. Nine, seven, and six genotypes were found to be stable for grain yield, biomass yield and brix value, respectively. The best performing genotypes for stem sugar across locations were identified. From the available data collected, the performance of the sweet sorghum was attributed to both genetic and environmental effects. High GE was observed to influence stability, hence will influence the selection criteria of the sweet sorghum genotypes.

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