Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Characterization of Improved Sweet Sorghum Genotypes for Biochemical Parameters, Sugar Yield and Its Attributes at Different Phenological Stages

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Sugar Tech Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Sweet sorghum is a multipurpose biofuel feedstock that offers grain for human consumption, fodder for livestock and ethanol for transportation purposes. The knowledge on sugar components at different phenological stages of crop growth and identification of appropriate stage of harvesting is critical for sweet sorghum commercialization and value chain sustenance. In this regard, sweet sorghum stalk yield, juice yield, Brix%, pH, sugars (sucrose, fructose and glucose) and their content were analyzed at three different phenological stages i.e. the dough stage, physiological maturity and post-physiological maturity. Variations in sugar content at different growth stages revealed that the sugar yield was high at physiological maturity, but highest at post-physiological maturity. Sucrose accounts for major fermentable sugar (about 70%) and it sharply increased by 146% from dough stage to post-physiological maturity. The variation in the monosaccharides content (glucose and fructose) is not statistically significant. This study points to the potential scope for widening the harvesting window of sweet sorghum, by cutting the stalks from physiological maturity stage and beyond up to 15 days (post-physiological maturity), thus helping the commercial distilleries by addressing a major impediment in sweet sorghum value chain. The entries SP 4495, SP 4511-3 and SPV 422 are suitable for harvesting in a wider window of time as the sugar levels are sustained at same level from physiological maturity to post-physiological maturity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Almodares, A., and M.R. Hadi. 2009. Production of bio-ethanol from sweet sorghum: A review. African Journal of Agricultural Research 4: 772–780.

    Google Scholar 

  • Almodares, A., A. Sephai, H. Dalilotojjary, and R. Ghvami. 1994. Effects of phenological stages on biomass and carbohydrates contents of sweet sorghum. Annals of Plant Physiology 8: 42–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Almodares, A., R. Taheri, and S. Adeli. 2008. Stalk yield and carbohydrate composition of sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] cultivars and lines at different growth stages. Journal of Malaysian Applied Biology 37: 31–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Antonopoulou, G., H.N. Gavala, I.V. Skiadas, K. Angelopoulos, and G. Lyberatos. 2008. Biofuels generation from sweet sorghum: Fermentative hydrogen production and anaerobic digestion of the remaining biomass. Bioresource Technology 99: 110–119.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bennett, A.S., and R.P. Anex. 2009. Production, transportation and milling costs of sweet sorghum as a feedstock for centralized bio-ethanol production in the upper Midwest. Bioresource Technology 100: 1595–1607.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blümmel, M., S.S. Rao, S. Palaniswami, L. Shah, and B.V.S. Reddy. 2009. Evaluation of sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] used for bio-ethanol production in the context of optimizing whole plant utilization. Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology 9: 1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Channappagoudar, B., N.R. Biradar, J.B. Patil, and S.M. Hiremath. 2007. Assessment of sweet sorghum genotypes for cane yield, juice characters and sugar levels. Karnataka Journal of Agricultural Science 20: 294–296.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geng, S., F.J. Hills, S.S. Johnson, and R.N. Sah. 1989. Potential yields and on-farm ethanol production cost of corn, sweet sorghum, fodderbeet, and sugarbeet. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 162: 21–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guiying, L., G. Weibin, A. Hicks, and K.R. Chapman, 2000. A training manual for sweet sorghum. FAO/CAAS/CAS, Bangkok, Thailand. http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=earticleView&earticleId=172&page=2273. Accessed 21 June 2010.

  • Hoffmann-Thoma, G., K. Hinkel, P. Nicolay, and J. Willenbrink. 1996. Sucrose accumulation in sweet sorghum stem internodes in relation to growth. Physiologia Plantarum 97: 277–284.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hunter, E., and I. Anderson. 1997. Sweet Sorghum. In Horticultural reviews, vol. 21, ed. J. Janick, 73–104. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ikegaya, F., K. Koinuma, and E. Ito. 1993. Variation of Brix value at different internodes in sweet sorghum. Journal of Japanese Society of Grassland Science 39(Suppl): 107–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ikegaya, F., K. Koinuma, and E. Ito. 1994. Variation of stalk sugar content in different varieties and at different growing stages in sweet sorghum. Journal of Japanese Society of Grassland Science 40((Suppl.)): 51–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jadhav, M.M., B.A. Chougule, V.D. Chavan, and R.N. Adsule. 1994. Assessment of juice quality in the improved sweet sorghum varieties. Journal of Maharashtra Agricultural Universities 19: 233–235.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lingle, S.H. 1987. Sucrose metabolism in the primary culm of sweet sorghum during development. Crop Science 27: 1214–1219.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McBee, G.G., and F.R. Miller. 1982. Carbohydrates in sorghum culms as influenced by cultivars, spacing and maturity over a diurnal period. Crop Science 22: 381–385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pillay, D., and E.J. Da Silva. 2009. Sustainable development and bioeconomic prosperity in Africa: Bio-fuels and the South African gateway. African Journal of Biotechnology 8: 2397–2408.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poehlman, J.M. 1994. Breeding sorghum and millet. In Breeding field crops, 3rd ed, ed. J.M. Poehlman, 508–541. Ames, Iowa, USA: Iowa State University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ranola, R.F., H.L. Layaoen, C. Costales, A.L. Halos, and L.A. Baracol, 2007. Feasibility study for an integrated anhydrous alcohol production plant using sweet sorghum as feedstock. Final Report. International Society for Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences (ISSAAS), Inc., Laguna, Philippines. http://www.bar.gov.ph/downloadables/2008/biofuels/Feasibility_Study_of_Sweet_Sorghum.pdf. Accessed 22 June 2010.

  • Reddy, B.V.S., S. Ramesh, A. Ashok Kumar, S.P. Wani, R. Ortiz, H. Ceballos, and T.K. Sreedevi. 2008. Bio-fuel crops research for energy security and rural development in developing countries. Bioenergy Resource 1: 248–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reddy, B.V.S., S. Ramesh, P. Sanjana Reddy, B. Ramaiah, P.M. Salimath, and K. Rajashekar. 2005. Sweet sorghum-A potential alternative raw material for bio-ethanol and bio-energy. International Sorghum and Millets Newsletter 46: 79–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reddy, B.V.S., P. Srinivasa Rao, A. Ashok Kumar, P. Sanjana Reddy, P. Parthasarathy Rao, K.K. Sharma, M. Blummel, and Ch. Ravinder Reddy, 2009. Sweet sorghum as a biofuel crop: Where are we now? Proceedings of sixth international biofuels conference, 4–5 March 2009, Winrock International, New Delhi, 191–202.

  • Ritter, K.B., S. Chapman, D. Jordan, I. Godwin, and L. McIntyre, 2004. Investigating the use of sweet sorghum as a model for sugar accumulation in sugarcane. Proceedings of the 4th international crop science congress, 26 September–1 October 2004, Brisbane, Australia. http://www.cropscience.org.au/icsc2004/poster/2/7/2/1388_ritterkb.htm. Accessed 28 June 2010.

  • SAS Institute Inc. 1991. SAS Language and Procedures: Usage 2, Version 6. Cary, NC, USA: SAS Institute Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, G.A., M.O. Bagby, R.T. Lewellam, D.L. Doney, P.H. Moore, F.J. Hills, L.G. Campbell, G.J. Hogaborin, G.E. Coe, and K. Freeman. 1987. Evaluation of sweet sorghum for fermentable sugars production potential. Crop Science 27: 788–793.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Srinivasa Rao, P., S.S. Rao, N. Seetharama, A.V. Umakanth, P. Sanjana Reddy, B.V.S. Reddy, and C.L.L. Gowda, 2009. Sweet sorghum for biofuel and strategies for its improvement. Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, India: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics. Information Bulletin No. 77, 80 pp, ISBN 978-92-9066-518-2.

  • Tsuchihashi, N., and Y. Goto. 2008. Year-round cultivation of sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] through a combination of seed and ratoon cropping in Indonesian Savanna. Plant Production Science 11: 377–384.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yasui, T. 1984. Estimation of soluble sugar content in stalk and juice of sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. Report of National Food Research Institute 45: 9–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, C., G. Xie, S. Li, L. Ge, and T. He. 2010. The productive potentials of sweet sorghum ethanol in China. Applied Energy 87: 2360–2368.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express their sincere thanks for financial assistance from the National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP)—Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under component 2 and International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) through Grant No. 974. The supply of urja by Praj industries and JK Recova by JK Agri-genetics is acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Biology Laboratory, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, 500 607, Andhra Pradesh, India

    C. Ganesh Kumar, Afroze Fatima, R. Nageswar Rao, Sara Khalid & Ahmed Kamal

  2. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru, Hyderabad, 502 324, Andhra Pradesh, India

    P. Srinivasa Rao, Belum V. S. Reddy, Abhishek Rathore & A. Ashok Kumar

Authors
  1. C. Ganesh Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Afroze Fatima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. P. Srinivasa Rao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Belum V. S. Reddy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Abhishek Rathore
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. R. Nageswar Rao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Sara Khalid
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. A. Ashok Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Ahmed Kamal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. Srinivasa Rao.

Additional information

The first three authors have contributed equally to this work.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ganesh Kumar, C., Fatima, A., Srinivasa Rao, P. et al. Characterization of Improved Sweet Sorghum Genotypes for Biochemical Parameters, Sugar Yield and Its Attributes at Different Phenological Stages. Sugar Tech 12, 322–328 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12355-010-0045-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12355-010-0045-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation