Agrobiological parameters of various varieties and hybrids of sweet sorghum

Purpose. To reveal the features of agrobiological parameters formation of sweet sorghum various varieties and hybrids in the conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Methods. During 2018–2020 twenty-one varieties and hybrids of sweet sorghum of various ecological and geographical origins (Ukraine, Russia, USA, France, Germany, Hungary, Brazil) were studied in the field. Parameters like plant height and indices of their individual productivity (grain weight per panicle, 1000 grain weight, etc.), yield of dry biomass and grain, content of sugar in juice and protein in grain, as well as estimated sugar and protein yield in a crop. The counts were carried out in the phase of physiological ripeness of the culture. Results. In the group of Ukrainian varieties and hybrids, the plants were from 272 to 306 cm high, in the foreign group – from 274 to 412 cm. Varieties ‘Red Amber’, ‘Sioux’, ‘Affas CJ 899’, ‘Freed’ and ‘Early Orange’ are of high value for breeding practice, their plants were the tallest – from 388 to 412 cm. The panicle length of sweet sorghum cultivars of Ukrainian breeding ranged from 16.0 to 17.3 cm, foreign – from 11.0 to 19.4 cm. Grain weight from one panicle varied from 32.8 to 41.6 g and from 29.2 to 43.5 g, respectively. In a wide range, depending on the varietal characteristics, the indicator of the number of grains per panicle also varied from 1338 to 1708 pcs. The mass of 1000 grains of sweet sorghum ranged from 28.0 to 31.0 g in varieties and hybrids of Ukrainian breeding, in foreign ones – from 19.3 to 31.0 g. The yield of dry vegetative mass of cultivars of Ukrainian breeding was at the level of 8.24–9.11 t/ha. The highest rates were shown in hybrid ‘Mamont’ and ‘Huliver’ variety – 9.05 and 9.11 t/ha, respectively. For cultivars and hybrids of foreign breeding, this indicator varied from 7.00 to 12.17 t/ha. Significantly higher biomass in comparison with the standard variety (‘Sylosne 42’) was produced by ‘Vorai Sumac’, ‘Sorgo Cucre’, ‘Sioux’, ‘Freed’, ‘Red Amber’, ‘Mohavk’, ‘Affas CJ 899’, ‘Early Orange’ – 9.03–12.17 t/ha. The sugar content in sweet sorghum juice varied from 15.2 to 17.2%. The estimated sugar yield in Ukrainian cultivars was at the level of 0.82–0.89 t/ha, in foreign ones – from 0.72 to 1.18 t/ha. In all studied varieties it was the highest in ‘Sorgo Cucre’, ‘Sioux’, ‘Freed’, ‘Red Amber’, ‘Mohavk’, ‘Affas CJ 899’, ‘Early Orange’ – 0.94–1.18 t/ha. Conclusions. The productivity of sweet sorghum varies greatly depending on the origin of the variety and hybrid. In the conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe, in order to obtain a high sugar yield, it is advisable to grow ‘Sylosne 42’, ‘Favoryt’, ‘Troistyi’, ‘Dovista’, ‘Huliver’ varieties and ‘Ananas’, ‘Medovyi’, ‘Mamont’ hybrids. Varieties ‘Vaconia Orange’, ‘Vorai Sumac’, ‘Sorgo Cucre’ and hybrids ‘Ald Sorghum’, ‘Sioux’, ‘Freed’, ‘Red Amber’, ‘Mohavk’, ‘Affas CJ 899’, ‘Early Orange’ provide high yields of vegetative masses. Hybrids ‘Freed’, ‘Affas CJ 899’ and ‘Early Orange’ produce a large vegetative mass (11.08–12.17 t/ha), grain yield (8.00–8.15 t/ha) and a high protein content (9.8–11.3%).

Juice chemical properties of 24 sorghum cultivars under varying levels of sugarcane aphid (Melanaphis sacchari) infestation

Sugarcane aphids [Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner)] have become a significant pest of grain, forage, and sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] in the USA in recent years. However, the effects of sugarcane aphid damage on sweet sorghum juice quality have not been well studied. A three-year (2015–2017) field study was conducted at Tifton, GA to assess planting date effects (April, May, or June planting) and cultivar responses (24 cultivars) to sugarcane aphids in sorghum. Aphid damage ratings were measured in all three years and cumulative aphid days were measured in 2016 and 2017. Cumulative aphid days (ln scale) and damage ratings (relative marginal effect) were correlated in five of the six plantings. Stem juice was collected at maturity from seven plantings for chemical analyses, which included HPLC, fluorescence excitation-emission spectrophotometry with parallel factor analysis (EEM/PARAFAC), and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Aphid damage ratings and cumulative aphid days were negatively correlated with sugar-related traits, particularly brix and total sugars. In four plantings, significant negative correlations (r ≤ −0.493) between trans-aconitic acid concentration and aphid damage were observed. Fluorescence and electrochemical properties related to the presence of polyphenols also showed correlations with aphid damage, particularly in the resistant landrace No. 5 Gambela. These secondary metabolites may play a role in sugarcane aphid resistance or tolerance. Stability analysis revealed that the more tolerant cultivars were able to maintain high concentrations of total sugars and trans-aconitic acid across environments.

BIO-HYDROGEN PRODUCTION USING BACILLUS SP. FROM SUGARCANE (SACCHARUM OFFICINARUM)

The bacterial strains were isolated from cow dung sample. The predominant bacterial strain was identified based on the various biochemical characterstics as Bacillus sp. Then the bacterial strain was employed for hydrogen production using water displacement metod. 500 ml of water was displaced at 6.8 pH in 24 hours by hydrogen gas produced by Bacillus sp., using sugarcane juice. The more amount of water is being displaced by Bacillus sp. at a pH 7.5 (785 ml) in 24 hours compared to the other pH conditions, pH 4.5 (410 ml), 5.5 (520 ml), 6.5 (700 ml), and 8.5 (730 ml) in sugarcane juice. The estimation of water displacement by hydrogen gas was upto 11 days using sweet sorghum juice employing Bacillus sp

Novel Effective Yeast Strains and Their Performance in High Gravity and Very High Gravity Ethanol Fermentations from Sweet Sorghum Juice

Yeasts were isolated from four potential sources, sweet sorghum juice, sugar cane juice, grapes and rambutan. The 27 yeast isolates were tested for their ethanol tolerance (15% v/v of ethanol) and ethanol fermentation performance in a synthetic ethanol production medium (200 g/L of total sugar). Only five isolates, SCJ04KKU, SCJ07KKU, SCJ09KKU, SCJ14KKU and SSJ01KKU could tolerate 15% ethanol and produce ethanol at levels higher than 55 g/L. The ethanol production efficiency from sweet sorghum juice under high gravity (HG, 200 and 240 g/L of total sugar) and very high gravity (VHG, 280 g/L of total sugar) conditions of the five isolates was tested. Saccharomyces cerevisiae NP01 and S. cerevisiae ATCC4132 were used as reference strains. The results showed that the SSJ01KKU isolate gave the highest ethanol production efficiency under all conditions. Ethanol concentration (PE), yield (YP/S) and productivity (QP) values were 98.89 g/L, 0.50 and 1.18 g/L·h, respectively, with sugar consumption (SC) of 98.96% under the HG condition at 200 g/L of total sugar. Under the HG condition at 240 g/L of total sugar, the PE, YP/S and QP values were 118.12 g/L, 0.51 and 1.41 g/L·h, respectively, with the SC of 95.79%. These values were 82.29 g/L, 0.34 and 0.98 g/L·h, respectively, with the SC of 85.59% under the VHG condition. Addition of urea into the sweet sorghum juice under all conditions significantly shortened the fermentation time, resulting in increased QP values. Based on molecular taxonomic analysis of the five isolates using sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domain and the ITS1 and ITS2 regions, SSJ01KKU is S. cerevisiae, whereas SCJ04KKU, SCJ07KKU, SCJ09KKU and SCJ14KKU are Pichia caribbica.

Novel Methods Using an Arthrobacter sp. to Create Anaerobic Conditions for Biobutanol Production from Sweet Sorghum Juice by Clostridium beijerinckii

Biobutanol can be produced by Clostridia via an acetone–butanol–ethanol (ABE) fermentation under strictly anaerobic conditions. Oxygen-free nitrogen (OFN) gas is typically used to create anaerobic conditions for ABE fermentations. However, this method is not appropriate for large-scale fermentations as it is quite costly. The aim of this work was to study the feasibility of butanol production from sweet sorghum juice (SSJ) by Clostridium beijerinckii TISTR 1461 using various methods to create anaerobic conditions, i.e., growth of a strictly aerobic bacterium, an Arthrobacter sp., under different conditions and a chemical method using sodium dithionite (SDTN) to consume residual oxygen. SSJ containing 60 g/L of total sugar supplemented with 1.27 g/L of (NH4)2SO4 was used as a substrate for butanol production. The results showed that 0.25 mM SDTN could create anaerobic conditions, but in this case, C.beijerinckii TISTR 1461 could produce butanol at a concentration (PB) of only 8.51 g/L with a butanol productivity (QB) of 0.10 g/L·h. Arthrobacter sp. BCC 72131 could also be used to create anaerobic conditions. Mixed cultures of C.beijerinckii TISTR 1461 and Arthrobacter sp. BCC 72131 created anaerobic conditions by inoculating the C.beijerinckii 4 h after Arthrobacter. This gave a PB of 10.39 g/L with a QB of 0.20 g/L·h. Comparing butanol production with the control treatment (using OFN gas to create anaerobic conditions, yielding a PB of 9.88 g/L and QB of 0.21 g/L·h) indicated that using Arthrobacter sp. BCC 72131 was an appropriate procedure for creating anaerobic conditions for high levels of butanol production by C. beijerinckii TISTR 1461 from a SSJ medium.

Enhancement of Enduracidin Accumulation from Sweet Sorghum Juice via Alleviation of Oxidative Damage in Streptomyces Fungicidicus M30

Background: Sweet sorghum juice is the preferred feedstock for enduracidin production, but the fermentation efficiency still need to be further enhanced. Oxygen-mediated microbial cell damage is an effective way to boost cell growth and metabolite accumulation in aerobic fermentation. However, this strategy on enduracidin production from sweet sorghum juice has not been reported yet. Results: In this study, enduracidin production titer was significantly enhanced when 90 mM Vitamin C was added at 4 d of fermentation. The enhanced T-AOC and antioxidant enzyme activities may help to further understand the mechanism of Vitamin C effect on regulation of enduracidin accumulation in S. fungicidicus M30. The effects of chemical preservative methyl paraben on cell growth and enduracidin production were also evaluated, and 0.04 g/L of methyl paraben had no significant inhibitory effect on cell growth and enduracidin production, indicating that the concentrated sweet sorghum juice assisted by methyl paraben for a long-term storage can be used as the substrate for enduracidin production effectively. Finally, based on the group with 0.04 g/L of methyl paraben and 90 mM Vitamin C, a final enduracidin concentration of 1.14 g/L was achieved from clarificated sweet sorghum juice by M30 strain. Conclusions: This work provided a promising strategy to enhance enduracidin production using sweet sorghum juice via adding the antioxidant to boost antioxidant capacity in S. fungicidicus.