Study on fine mapping of QTL for juice yield traits of sweet sorghum (Sorghum dochna)

The stem juice yield is a key factor that influences both the biological and economic production of sweet sorghum [Sorghum dochna (Forssk.) Snowden]. To elucidate upon the genetic basis of the stem juice yield, an F₅ population developed from a cross between the low juice yielding Xinliang52 (XL52) and high juice yielding W455 lines, were used in a quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis. A main effect of the QTL controlling stem juice yield was separated with an SSR marker called Xtxp97, which explained 46.7% of the phenotypic variance. In addition, F₅ and F₆ populations were constructed with XL52 and W452 as the parents to further verify the QTLs, and a significant correlation was found between the juice yield trait and the Xtxp97 marker. Based on the progeny tests of 29 recombinants, QJy-sbi06 was located in a region of about 21.2 kb on chromosome 6, where a candidate gene encoding an NAC transcription factor (sobic.006G147400) was identified. Combining the different population association analysis and sequencing technology showed that XL52 inserted a 1.8 kb transposon in the NAC to directly interrupt and inactivate the juice yield gene. This study also demonstrated that the colour of the leaf midribs was controlled by a single gene and was significantly positive correlated with juiciness (r = 0.784, P < 0.01). These results could lay the foundation for map-based cloning of QJy-sbi06 and provide genes or QTLs for breeding sorghum lines with a high juice yield and quality.

Plant growth‐promoting activity of endophytic bacteria from sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)

Application of high levels of chemical fertilizers for optimal growth of sweet sorghum causes environmental degradation. Plant growth‐promoting bacteria have biotechnological importance because they can improve the growth and health of important agronomic plants. This study aimed to isolate, characterize, and identify endophytic bacteria associated with sweet sorghum (cv. KCS105), and also to study the inoculation effects of selected isolates on sorghum growth. In this study, 35 isolates were evaluated for their ability to support plant growth. The results showed that seven isolates were diazotrophic, six were capable of dissolving phosphate, six produced IAA and could detect ACC‐deaminase activity, and three inhibited the growth of pathogenic fungi. Nine isolates exhibiting mechanisms for promoting plant growth from the Alphaproteobacteria (Devosia), Firmicutes (Bacillus, Paenibacillus, Staphylococcus), and Actinobacteria (Microbacterium, Brachybacterium) phyla were identified. In addition, the Paenibacillus sp. BB7, Bacillus sp. PIB1B, and Bacillus sp. PLB1B isolates showed increasing effects on plant growth in greenhouse tests. Endophytic bacterial isolates which display plant growth‐promoting features can potentially be employed as biofertilizer agents. They may also address environmental damage problems resulting from the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

High-Grade Chemicals and Biofuels Produced from Marginal Lands Using an Integrated Approach of Alcoholic Fermentation and Pyrolysis of Sweet Sorghum Biomass Residues

New global directions align agricultural land resources towards food production; therefore, marginal lands could provide opportunities for second-generation energy crops, assuming that in the difficult conditions of plant development, productivity can be maintained at relatively high levels. Sustainable bioenergy production on marginal lands represents an ambitious objective, offering high-quality biofuels without competing with the agri-food industry, since it allows successful feedstock production to be performed on unmanaged areas. However, marginal land feedstock production generally shows several agronomic, techno-economic, and methodological challenges, leading to decreases in the obtained quantities of biomass and profitability. Sweet Sorghum is a technical plant that has the needed qualities to produce large amounts of biofuels on marginal lands. It is a high biomass- and sugar-yielding crop, characterized by a high photosynthetic efficiency and low fertilizer requirement, is resistant to drought, and adapts well to different climate areas. Marginal lands and contaminated soils provide a favorable development environment for plants such as sweet sorghum; however, in-depth research studies on biomass productivity must be carried out, as well as advanced quality evaluation of the products, in order to develop combined technologies that use resources efficiently. The present study starts with a comparative evaluation of two sweet sorghum crops established on both marginal and regular lands, assessing plant development characteristics and juice production, and an evaluation of bioethanol generation potential. The vegetal wastes resulting from the processing were treated by pyrolysis, with the aim of maximizing the productivity of high-quality liquid biofuels and chemicals. The charcoal obtained in the thermal processes was considered as an amendment of the soil so that marginal land quality could be improved over time.

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

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.

Production of Ethanol from Immobilized Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Ethanol (also called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol) is an organic chemical compound S. cerevisiae is the most employed yeast for ethanol production at the industrial level though ethanol is produced by an array of other yeasts, bacteria, and fungi. This paper reviews the current and nonmolecular trends in ethanol production using S. cerevisiae. Ethanol has been produced from a wide range of substrates such as molasses, starch-based substrate, sweet sorghum cane extract, lignocellulose, and other wastes The study was carried out on ethanol production from Immobilized Saccharomyces cerevisiae The immobilization was done with calcium chloride and sodium alginate the beads were formed. Fermentation was carried out for 7 to 8 days at 28°C then distillation was done and final ethanol produce was checked with an alcohol meter and ethanol produce was 13% from immobilized Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The process parameters optimized were substrate conc, pH, and urea conc. The values of the process parameters are 30% substrate conc, pH 4.5, and urea conc 0.5%.

RECYCLING BIOSOLIDS TO IMPROVE MARGINAL LANDS FOR BIOENERGY FEEDSTOCK PRODUCTION IN UKRAINE

Energy independence is one of the national priorities facing Ukraine today. Plant-based feedstocks have the potential to diversify Ukraine’s energy independence by decreasing dependence on petroleum-based energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding renewable fuel industries and creating job opportunities. However, biofeedstock needs to be competitive on availability, performance, and price to produce, market, and produce fuels. We hypothesize that domestically produced feedstocks from sweet sorghum, using proactive recycling of nutrient-rich biosolids on vast areas of degraded and marginal lands, could be a win-win energy independence strategy in Ukraine. Our goal is to create for generating a steady-state source of biofeedstock and disseminate science-based knowledge and training to the clientele. Specific objectives are to: (1) establish research studies to evaluate growth and feedstock productivity, nutrient removal, and feedstock characteristics of sweet sorghum fertilized with biosolids on degraded and marginal lands in Rivne, Kherson, Dnipro, and Kyiv regions of Ukraine; and (2) determine the impact of biosolids and sweet sorghum on soil quality. Data collected on growth, feedstock production, feedstock characteristics, fuel potential, and high-value co-products (biochar) of sweet sorghum and soil quality will be evaluated by multivariate statistics. Input, output, and outreach data will be subject to techno-economic analyses to evaluate the economically viability, environmentally compatibility, and social acceptability of the project. Traditional and electronic outlet activities will be utilized to disseminate outcomes and outputs and to evaluate project impacts.

Cellulosic Butanol Biorefinery: Production of Biobutanol from High Solid Loadings of Sweet Sorghum Bagasse—Simultaneous Saccharification, Fermentation, and Product Recovery

Butanol was produced commercially from cornstarch and sugarcane molasses (renewable resources) until 1983, when production of these plants was forced to cease because of unfavorable economics of production caused in part by escalating prices of these feedstocks. During recent years, the focus of research has been on the use of economically available agricultural biomass and residues and cutting-edge science and technology to make butanol production a commercially viable process again. In this study, we produced butanol from sweet sorghum bagasse (SSB) by employing high concentrations of SSB solids and integrated process technology through which simultaneous saccharification, fermentation, and recovery (SSFR) were conducted as one unit operation. The concentrated SSB (16–22% dry wt. basis or 160–220 gL−1) was used to reduce reactor size and potentially reduce fixed and operational costs. Indeed, ABE productivity and yield of 0.21 gL−1h−1 and 0.39 were obtained, respectively, when 160 gL−1 SSB (16%, dry wt.) was used in the SSFR process. In nonintegrated systems, use of >90 gL−1 solid loading is improbable and has not been done until this study.