Sweet Sorghum Research Articles

Application of different proportions of sweet sorghum silage as a substitute for corn silage in dairy cows.

This experiment explored the effects of different proportions of sweet sorghum silage as a substitute for corn silage on dry matter intake (DMI), milk yield, milk quality, apparent digestibility, rumen fermentation parameters, serum amino acid profile, and rumen microbial composition of dairy cows. A total of 32 mid-lactation Holstein dairy cows with similar body weights and parities were randomly divided into four treatments: 100% corn silage +0% sorghum silage (CON), 75% corn silage +25% sorghum silage (CS1), 50% corn silage +50% sorghum silage (CS2), and 25% corn silage +75% sorghum silage (CS3). The milk yield was increased (linear, p = .048) as the proportion of sweet sorghum increased. Linear (p = .003) and quadratic (p = .046) increased effects were observed in milk fat as corn silage was replaced with sorghum silage. Compared with the CON diet group, the CS2 and CS3 diet groups had lower dry matter (DM) (linear, p < .001), ether extract (EE) (linear, p < .001), and gross energy (GE) (linear, p = .001) digestibility of the dairy cows. The ruminal fluid aspartate (Asp) level decreased (linear, p = .003) as the proportion of sweet sorghum increased. Linear (p < .05) and quadratic (p < .05) increased effects were observed for the contents of threonine (Thr), glycine (Gly), valine (Val), leucine (Leu), tyrosine (Tyr), and histidine (His) in rumen fluid with the replacement of corn silage with sorghum silage. Cows fed the CS3 diet had greater Faecalibacterium, Bacteroides, and Prevotella ruminicola content/copy number than those fed the CON diet (p < .05). In conclusion, feeding sorghum silage as a replacement for corn silage could increase the milk yield and fat, promote the growth of rumen microbes, and provide more rumen fluid amino acids for the body and microbial utilization. We believe that sorghum silage is feasible for dairy cows, and it is reasonable to replace corn silage with 75% sorghum silage.

Bagasse Yield and Quality Traits of Silage Made From Juice-Extracted Sweet Sorghum

This study was conducted to investigate possible use of juice-extracted sweet sorghum stalks (bagasse) as a quality roughage source through silage making. A total of 21 different sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor var. saccharatum (L.) Mohlenbr.) genotypes supplied from different sources were used as the primary material of the study. Field experiments were conducted in a randomized blocks design with 4 replications on the experimental fields of Eastern Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute under 2nd crop conditions during the growing seasons of 2016 and 2017 years. Plants were harvested for bioethanol production at milk-dough stage of panicle grains. Plant leaves and panicles were stripped and remaining stalks were extracted through squeezing. Juice-extracted stalks (bagasse) were ensilaged for 60 days and quality traits were analyzed at the end of silage period. As the average of two years, bagasse yields varied between 42.6-113.9 t ha-1, silage DM yields varied between 11.6-40.0 t ha-1. In addition, crude protein (CP) content, acid detergent lignin (ADL), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) values varied between 29.79 - 50.84 g/kg DM, between 49.3 - 91.4 g/kg DM, between 525.1-694.8 g/kg DM and between 351.2-486.8 g/kg DM, respectively. It was concluded based on present findings that silages made from juice-extracted stalks of sweet sorghum grown under 2nd crop conditions of Cukurova region could be used as quality roughage source for livestock. Keywords: Bagasse yield; Genotype; Silage quality; Sweet sorghum

Assessment of advanced bioethanol potential under water and land resource constraints in China

Crop residues and energy crops grown on marginal lands can be sources of advanced bioethanol without interfering with agricultural land for food, and can replace traditional fuels with a neutral carbon cycle, but demand additional water for crop growth and energy production. However, existing bioethanol potential assessments ignore the constraints of limited water resources. Here we quantify the bioethanol potential from twelve crops’ residues and two energy crops (sweet sorghum and cassava) grown on marginal lands under both water and land constraints in China, based on bioethanol water footprint accounting, local water scarcity degree and marginal land identification. Results show that the bioethanol potential from crop residues is up to 68.5 Mt (∼1.8 EJ calorific value), approximately 49% lower than the theoretical potential without considering water limits. The suitable bioethanol potentials from sweet sorghum and cassava are in ranges 18.7–32.7 Mt (∼0.5–0.9 EJ) and 14.0–52.4 Mt (∼0.4–1.4 EJ), respectively. Northeast China are more suitable for the development of bioethanol due to their greater productive potential and lower water scarcity, whereas South and Southwest China have advantages in terms of growing energy crops on marginal lands and should be the focus of additional attention.

Optimization Conditions for Ethanol Production from Sweet Sorghum Juice by Thermotolerant Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Using a Statistical Experimental Design

The optimum fermentation conditions for ethanol production from sweet sorghum juice (SSJ) by the thermotolerant yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae DBKKUY-53 were determined using a statistical experimental design. Based on the Plackett–Burman design (PBD), yeast cell concentration, sugar concentration, and yeast extract were the significant independent fermentation factors affecting the ethanol production from SSJ at 37 °C by S. cerevisiae DBKKUY-53. These significant factors were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) based on a central composite design (CCD). The result revealed that the optimum conditions for ethanol fermentation were 7.85 × 107 cells/mL yeast cell concentration, 247 g/L sugar concentration, and 9.99 g/L yeast extract. Verification of the ethanol production using the optimum conditions revealed that the maximum ethanol concentration of 99.75 g/L and the productivity of 2.77 g/L/h were achieved. When the ethanol production was carried out in a 2 L fermentor under optimum conditions, the ethanol concentration was 101.81 g/L and the productivity was 2.83 g/L/h. This finding suggested that the thermotolerant yeast S. cerevisiae DBKKUY-53 has excellent potential for commercial ethanol production at high temperatures.

Land suitability study for sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) farming in Pleret Yogyakarta

Marginal land and geological disaster-prone in the Opak Fault zone area need to be studied for the basic potential for the development of multi-purpose crops for food, feed, and renewable energy. The study was aimed to determine the potential of the soil and evaluate the suitability of the land for sweet sorghum (Shorgum bicolor) crop in Gunung Kelir, Pleret District, Bantul, Yogyakarta as part of the Opak Fault line. A total of 20 sample points were collected based on geological data, land use, slope, and administrative maps. Analysis of soil physical and chemical properties was carried out to classify soil types and land suitability for sweet sorghum plants. The developing soils in the study area were originated from volcanic breccias, Young Merapi Volcano, and the alluvial of the Opak River, with included in orders of Entisols and Inceptisols. The cation exchange capacity of soils that develop from volcanic breccias is higher than those that develop from Merapi volcanic soils. Suitability of land for sweet sorghum plants includes S2 class with limiting factors for nutrient retention, temperature, and erosion hazard area of ± 24,011 Ha (76.23%), S3 class with limiting factors for erosion hazard and surface stonies of ± 3.85 Ha (12.22%), and N class with a root zone constraint of ± 0.139 Ha (0.44%), and others are not agriculture. Based on the results of this study it is expected that sweet sorghum is able to be developed in the Opak Fault zone to enhance the use of marginal land.

Morphological characterization of sweet sorghum lines which has the potential as a raw material for bioethanol

Sweet sorghum is a potential plant as a raw material for bioethanol. This plant has the potential to be developed in tropical, semi-tropical and arid climates. To obtain information on elite lines as raw material for ethanol, it is necessary to characterize qualitative and quantitative traits. This study aims to obtain information about the quantitative and qualitative characters of several sweet sorghum lines that have the potential as raw materials for bioethanol. The research was carried out from August to December 2019 on the Experimental Farm of Indonesian Cereals Research Institute (ICERI), at Maros, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The genetic materials used in this study were ten sweet sorghum lines, namely 15020B, 1115-C, 4-183ABEOTO, AB-6-1-1, EA-13-1-1, KL2, 10 (1-1), 23 (1-1), Buleleng Abang and WR2 and two varieties as check, namely Super-1 and Super-2, using a randomized block design in which genotype was the treatment factor. Qualitative data is explained by a descriptive method which refers to UPOV. Analysis of variance indicated significant differences in the quantitative and qualitative characters. Significantly different characters quantitatively were plant height, leaf length, leaf width, day to flowering, panicle length, and weight of 1000 grains. While the significant qualitative data are green leaf intensity, leaf bone color, pistil color, pistil length, dry stamen color, panicle shape, panicle density after pollination, self-pollination, husk color, husk length, grain color, seed shape, and endosperm texture. Based on morphological data, the promising elite lines as raw material for bioethanol were EA-13-1-1, KL2, WR2, Buleleng Abang, 61 (1-1) and 15020B. However, other scientific supporting data are needed to recommend superior sweet sorghum lines as raw material for bioethanol.

Mathematical modeling of bioethanol production from sweet sorghum juice under high gravity fermentation: Applicability of Monod-based, logistic, modified Gompertz and Weibull models

BackgroundMathematical modeling of a fermentation process is crucial in understanding and predicting dynamics of the process, which can be used in process improvement, design and control. The present study aimed to develop Monod-based kinetic models to describe cell growth, substrate consumption and ethanol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae NP 01 under high gravity (HG) fermentation of sweet sorghum juice (SSJ). ResultsThe fermentation using an initial total sugar (TS) concentration of 240 g/L resulted in 113.3 g/L of ethanol production, with 90.9% TS consumption and a fermentation efficiency of 94.4%. Growth of the yeast in terms of specific growth rate was found to be inhibited at a threshold TS concentration of 65 g/L, and the maximum specific growth rate, Monod constant and inhibition constant were 0.45 1/h, 19.5 g/L and 0.002 L/(g·h), respectively. Monod-based models incorporating substrate and product inhibition terms showed high applicability to describe the changes of cell, TS and ethanol concentrations, based on the values of bias factor, accuracy factor, coefficient of determination and root mean square error. ConclusionsThe Monod-based models fitted the data equally well as compared with the logistic, modified Gompertz, and Weibull models, despite estimating the value of different kinetic parameters. These results demonstrated that all the models tested were applicable in modeling HG ethanol fermentation.How to cite: Salakkam A, Phukoetphim N, Laopaiboon P, et al. Mathematical modeling of bioethanol production from sweet sorghum juice under high gravity fermentation: Applicability of Monod-based, logistic, modified Gompertz and Weibull models. Electron J Biotechnol 2023;64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2023.03.004.

Enhancing energy potential of sweet sorghum by biomass ash compost in the context of climate change and agroecosystem

Recycling renewable energy waste, nutrient-rich biomass ash, via composting for biofuel crop fertilization is feasible for integrating waste and crop production to close the nutrient loop and mitigate greenhouse gaseous emissions. The primary purpose of the present study was to investigate the nutrient-rich compost on energy crop production, energy yield, and carbon input to the soil via the root under two different agroclimatic conditions. Compost treatments exhibited superior biomass growth in both sweet sorghum cultivars landrace and Gulseker in both regions. The effect was more potent in the temperate region (Sakarya) due to evenly precipitation during the entire plant growth period. On the other hand, biomass ash compost treatments induced higher Brix values in a region with high solar energy and hot and dry (Bitlis). However, the maximum juice yield (2387 L ha−1) and juice ethanol yield (1583 L ha−1) were obtained from the Sakarya region with cultivar Gulseker due to its high cane yield (68.76 t ha−1). The energy yield of sweet sorghum bagasse ranged from 92 to 282 GJ ha−1, and the maximum value was obtained from compost treatment in Sakarya regions. Compost also promoted an increase in the carbon content of root tissue, and sweet sorghum can bind around 1250 kg ha−1 recalcitrant forms of carbon to the soil via root tissue. Overall results indicate beneficial effects of compost on plant growth, biomass fuel, and root carbon storage in the soil, which could help waste management and agriculture together towards biofuel production with a more circular economy.

PENAMPILAN KARAKTER AGRONOMI DAN KOMPONEN HASIL EMPAT VARIETAS SORGUM MANIS (Sorghum bicolor L.) PADA BERBAGAI JARAK TANAM

High productivity of sweet sorghum can be achieved by applying optimal cultivation technology, including the use of high-yielding varieties. Differences in sorghum varieties will refer to genetic factors in each sorghum variety. Increasing sorghum production and land use efficiency, it can be done by adjusting the spacing to obtain the ideal spacing. This study aims to determine and analyze the effect of variety and spacing on the appearance of agronomic characters and yield components of sorghum. This study was arranged based on a two-factor Randomized Block Design (RAK), as the first factor was four varieties of sorghum (V), namely Super 1 (V1), Super 2 (V2), Bioguma 2 Agritan (V3) and Numbu (V3) varieties. V4), the second factor was the spacing (J) with three treatment levels, namely 75 cm × 15 cm (J1), 75 cm × 20 cm (J2), and 75 cm × 25 cm (J3) so that 12 treatment combinations were obtained and repeated as many as 3 times. Each variety consists of 4 rows that are placed randomly. The results showed that the Bioguma 2 Agritan variety produced the appearance of agronomic characters with the highest plant average (293.82 cm), the highest number of leaves (13.59 strands), the highest number of internodes (13.68 books), and yield components in the form of an average the fastest flowering age (63.89 days), the fastest harvest age (103.11 days), the longest panicle (26.94 cm), the heaviest seed weight per panicle (81.58 g), the heaviest 1000 seed weight (31.33 g), highest brix content (18.21%) and highest production (2.24 kg plot-1 or 3.73 ton hectare-1). While the Super 2 variety produced an average stem with the widest diameter (21.80 mm). There is no effect of spacing on agronomic characters and yield components and there is no interaction effect between varieties and spacing on agronomic characters and yield components.

Growth, Solute Accumulation, and Ion Distribution in Sweet Sorghum under Salt and Drought Stresses in a Brazilian Potiguar Semiarid Area

Agriculture in semiarid regions commonly face problems because of salt and availability of irrigation water. Considering this, studies on cultures resistant to salt and water stresses involving sweet sorghum are required. Therefore, the aim was to evaluate the growth and other mechanisms of tolerance to salinity and water deficit in BRS 506 sweet sorghum. The experimental design was conducted in Upanema-RN, Brazil, in randomized blocks, where the isolated and interactive effect of 3 salinity levels, expressed as the electrical conductivity of irrigation water (1.5, 3.8, and 6.0 dS m−1), and 3 irrigation depths (55, 83, and 110% of crop evapotranspiration) were evaluated. During the cycle, sorghum adapted to the salinity and deficit irrigation depth, since stem height reduced only −5.5% with increasing salinity and −11.95% with decreasing irrigation depth, and aerial dry mass was affected by interaction only at the end of the cycle. Proline, total amino acids, and total soluble sugars were not differenced by stresses. Additionally, around 68.71% of total Na+ was at roots at the end of the cycle. In summary, sorghum BRS 506 was more tolerant to salt than water stress and used Na+ compartmentalization in root cells as the main tolerance mechanism.

Effect of biomass ash vermicompost on Sorghum bicolor var. saccharatum (L.) Mohlenbr under hot and dry agro ecological condition

Generation of the huge amount of bio-waste and their residues, including incineration ash, is a major technical and sustainability problem. To solve this problem, incorporating nutrient-rich residues into crop production has become an efficient practice to increase crop production. Vermicomposting of these wastes could be a viable option to manage both biowastes and their products in an environmentally friendly manner and close the material loop in bioenergy production. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of vermicompost from biomass ash under hot and dry climatic conditions in summer on growth, yield and yield components of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor var. saccharatum (L.) Mohlenbr). The high photosynthetic activity of sweet sorghum is important for biofuel production under conditions of high solar energy and water scarcity. This study provides a general overview of the feasibility of biomass ash vermicomposting processes and their potential use as a nutrient source for C4 sorghum under Bitlis ecological conditions of high solar potential and low water availability. Under Bitlis climatic conditions, the best yield was obtained when vermicompost was applied with a biomass ash content of 10.0% (T3). Plant height, plant weight, sugarcane and juice yields were reported as 133 cm, 146 g, 180 kg/da and 105 L/da, respectively.

Biomass composite with exogenous organic acid addition supports the growth of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor 'Dochna') by reducing salinity and increasing nutrient levels in coastal saline-alkaline soil.

In coastal saline lands, organic matter is scarce and saline stress is high. Exploring the promotion effect of intervention with organic acid from biological materials on soil improvement and thus forage output and determining the related mechanism are beneficial to the potential cultivation and resourceful, high-value utilization of coastal mudflats as back-up arable land. Three exogenous organic acids [humic acid (H), fulvic acid (F), and citric acid (C)] were combined with four kinds of biomass materials [cottonseed hull (CH), cow manure (CM), grass charcoal (GC), and pine needle (PN)] and applied to about 0.3% of medium-salt mudflat soil. The salinity and nutrient dynamics of the soil and the growth and physiological differences of sweet sorghum at the seedling, elongation, and heading stages were observed under different treatments to screen for efficient combinations and analyze the intrinsic causes and influencing mechanisms. The soil salinity, nutrient dynamics, and forage grass biological yield during sweet sorghum cultivation in saline soils differed significantly (p < 0.05) depending on the type of organic acid-biomass composite applied. Citric acid-pine needle composite substantially reduced the soil salinity and increased the soil nutrient content at the seedling stage and improved the root vigor and photosynthesis of sweet sorghum by increasing its stress tolerance, allowing plant morphological restructuring for a high biological yield. The improvement effect of fulvic acid-pine needle or fulvic acid-cow manure composite was manifested at the elongation and heading stages. Citric acid-pine needle composite promoted the growth of saline sweet sorghum seedlings, and the effect of fulvic acid-pine needle composite lasted until the middle and late stages.

Selection of grain sorghum varieties for the north Caucasian region of Russia

It is possible to solve the problem of productivity and improve the gross harvest of agricultural products by introducing new varieties and hybrids adapted to the conditions of cultivation into production. The diversity of the varietal composition of sorghum crops necessitates a careful approach in the selection of varieties. This is especially important for the North Caucasus region, which is characterized by contrasting natural and climatic conditions. The purpose of the current study was to analyze the existing varietal range of grain, sweet, grass sorghum, to identify varieties recommended for cultivation in the North Caucasus region. The work on the development of sorghum crops was carried out at the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “ARC “Donskoy” in accordance with the Methodology of the State Commission for Variety Testing of Agricultural Crops. There has been found that since 2013 20 grain sorghum varieties and hybrids of Russian originators (7 sugar sorghum varieties, 6 Sudan grass varieties, 7 sorghum-Sudan hybrids) have been approved for cultivation in the North Caucasus region of the Russian Federation. Since 2013 2 grain sorghum varieties, 2 sweet and Sudan grass varieties, 1 sorghum-Sudan hybrid have been developed and introduced into the Register at ARC “Donskoy”. There have been developed grain sorghum varieties ‘Zernogradskoye 88’, ‘Esaul’ which are distinguished by high grain productivity of 5.0–6.2 t/ha and have been recommended for use for feed and food purposes. Sweet sorghum varieties ‘Feniks’ and ‘Yuzhnoe’ have been characterized by a large productivity of green mass for silage (37–45 t/ha) and good feed qualities, which allows them to be used for silage production. Sudan grass varieties ‘Alisa’ and ‘Gratsiya’ have made it possible to obtain 2 cuttings of high-quality green fodder (39–44 t/ha) and hay (12.0–13.2 t/ha). The sorghum-Sudan hybrid ‘Dobrynya F1’ has 55–61 t/ha of green mass for two cuttings and could be recommended for use for green fodder, hay, silage.

Screening of sweet and grain sorghum genotypes for green biomass production in different regions of Kazakhstan

As the impact of global climate change increases, the interaction of biotic and abiotic stresses increasingly threatens current agricultural practices. The most effective solution to the problem of climate change and a decrease in the amount of atmospheric precipitation is planting extremely drought-resistant and high-yielding crops. Sorghum can grow in harsh conditions such as salinity, drought and limited nutrients, also it is an important part of the diet in many countries. Sorghum can be introduced in many zones of Kazakhstan. Plant height and yield of green plant biomass of 16 sorghum samples in arid conditions were determined based on a set of agrobiological characteristics for field screening. The height of the studied samples of grain sorghum was 0.47 ±0.03 m, and the height of sweet sorghum was much longer, reaching up to 2.88 ±0.12 m. Also, there was a strong difference in green biomass in cultivated areas under different soil and climatic conditions, the green biomass of sweet sorghum was 3.0 Mg∙ha –1, and in grain sorghum, it reached up to 57.4 Mg∙ha –1. Based on the data of the field assessment for various soil and climatic conditions, the following samples were identified for introduction into production: samples of sweet sorghum for irrigated and rainfed lands of the Almaty Region and in the conditions of non-irrigation agriculture of the Aktobe Region – a promising line ICSV 93046. For non-irrigation agriculture of the Akmola Region, genotypes of sweet and grain sorghum are ‘Chaika’, ‘Kinelskoe 4’ and ‘Volzhskoe 44’.

Fermentation of Sweet Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) Using Immobilized Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) Entrapped in Calcium Alginate Beads

As the population grows, there is a need to address the continuous depletion of non-renewable energy sources and their negative effects on the environment. This led to a substantial assessment of possible innovations and raw materials to increase the volumetric productivity of alternative fuels to supply the energy needed worldwide. In addition to its environment-friendly properties, a biofuel derived from plant-based sources is also a sustainable material. For high ethanol production from plant-based biofuel, several techniques have been developed, including cell or enzyme immobilization. The key purposes of utilizing immobilized cells or enzymes are to improve bioreactor yield with upgraded enzyme establishment and to increase enzyme utilization. The fermentation of sweet sorghum extract to produce ethanol was conducted in this study, and it was found that the optimum sodium alginate concentration for immobilizing yeast is 3% w/v. It was also found that the free yeast has a shorter optimum fermentation period which is four days (96 h), in comparison with the immobilized yeast, which is five days (120 h). The immobilized yeast has a higher ethanol concentration produced and percent conversion compared to the free yeast. The immobilized yeast entrapped in calcium alginate beads permitted ten five-day (120 h) reuse cycles which are still in stable final ethanol concentration and percent conversion. Due to a lack of experimental support in the necessary condition (optimum level of the number of fermentation days and the concentration of sodium alginate) for the optimal ethanol yield from the extract of sweet sorghum, this study was conducted. This study also tried to address the global demand for ethanol by specifying the optimum conditions necessary for efficient fermentation, specifically for ethanol production using an extract from sweet sorghum. Furthermore, this experimental work serves as a basis for further investigations concerning ethanol production from Agri-based materials, such as sweet sorghum.

Recovery of Aconitic Acid from Sweet Sorghum Plant Extract Using a Solvent Mixture, and Its Potential Use as a Nematicide

Trans-aconitic acid (TAA) is naturally present in sweet sorghum juice and syrup, and it has been promoted as a potential biocontrol agent for nematodes. Therefore, we developed a process for the extraction of aconitic acid from sweet sorghum syrup. The process economics were evaluated, and the extract was tested for its capability to suppress the motility of the nematodes Caenorhabditis elegans and Meloidogyne incognita. Aconitic acid could be efficiently extracted from sweet sorghum syrup using acetone:butanol:ethanol mixtures, and it could be recovered from this solvent with a sodium carbonate solution, with an overall extraction and recovery efficiency of 86%. The estimated production cost was USD 16.64/kg of extract and this was highly dependent on the solvent cost, as the solvent was not recycled but was resold for recovery at a fraction of the cost. The extract was effective in reducing the motility of the parasitic M. incognita and causing over 78% mortality of the nematode when 2 mg/mL of TAA extract was added. However, this positive result could not conclusively be linked solely to TAA. An unidentified component (or components) in the acetone:butanol:ethanol sweet sorghum extract appears to be an effective nematode inhibitor, and it may merit further investigation. The impact of aconitic acid on C. elegans appeared to be entirely controlled by pH.

Response of nutrient elements in leaf tissues of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) to interactive effects of soil-drenched triterpenoid phytonematicides

Root-knot (Meloidogyne species) nematode population densities on various crops, including sweet sorghum, were consistently decreased by three triterpenoid phytonematicides that are currently available as Nemarioc-AL, Nemafric-BL and Mordica. These compounds have chemically different active ingredients. The interaction between triterpenoid phytonematicides and the accumulation of nutrients in plant leaf tissues has not yet been studied, with the exception of Nemarioc-AL and Nemafric-BL. The objective of this study was to investigate the interactive effects of triterpenoid phytonematicides on accumulation of nutrient elements in leaf tissues of sweet sorghum under microplot conditions in Limpopo Province, South Africa during 2020 and 2021. Nemarioc-AL, Nemafric-BL and Mordica were laid in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment, respectively. The test treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design, with eight replications, conducted on artificial microplots containing steam pasteurized soil. At 150 days after inoculation, the second order interaction (Nemarioc-AL × Nemafric-BL × Mordica) significantly (P=0.05) increased accumulation of Ca, K and Mg in leaf tissues of sweet sorghum, but without affecting P, Fe, Na and Zn. Relative to untreated control, second order interaction increased Ca, K and Mg by 206, 164 and 289%, respectively. In accordance with the density-dependent growth principles of entities exposed to allelochemicals, soil-drenched administration of triterpenoid phytonematicides dramatically modified the accumulation of nutritional components in leaf tissues of sweet sorghum.

Evaluation of genetic variability for major agro-morphological and stalk sugar traits in African sorghum genotypes

The study aimed to assess one hundred and twelve (112) accessions of sorghum sourced from Nigeria and other four African countries for their genetic variability, heritability (broad sense) and genetic advance components to identify promising accessions with high grain yield and sweet stalk which can serve as future parents for breeding dual-purpose lines. The accessions were evaluated at Ilora, Oyo State, Nigeria in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) layout with three replicates in two planting seasons (2020 and 2021). The results showed that the phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV). The highest PCV and GCV were grain yield (51.89%) and inflorescence length (42.26%), respectively, while a hundred seed grain weight had the lowest PCV (17.83%) and GCV (21.55%). The range of genetic advance over mean (GAM) was 28.33% for leaf width and 81.62% for inflorescence length. Inflorescence length had the highest values of heritability and GAM (0.88, 81.62%), while a low value was obtained for grain yield (0.27, 29.32%). Twenty-two accessions had higher grain yields than the yields of check varieties. The high-yielding accessions, SG57, SG31, SG06, and SG12 had grain yields of 3.07 t/ha, 2.89 t/ha, 2.76 t/ha and 2.73 t/ha, respectively. Fourteen accessions had wet stalks, of which 12 of the accessions had soluble stalk sugar (Brix) above 12%, which is comparable to the amount found in sweet sorghum. Three accessions with Brix above 12% (SG16, SG31, SG32) and high grain yields (2.32 t/ha, 2.89 t/ha and 2.02 t/ha) were identified as promising accessions. There is considerable genetic diversity among African sorghum accessions in Nigeria's southwest agroecosystem, which should improve food security and breeding potential.

Genetic diversity, importance and prospects for varietal improvement of sweet grain sorghum in Burkina Faso

Sweet grain sorghum is a very important cereal for urban and especially rural communities in Burkina Faso. It is mainly grown by traditional farmers. Consumed fresh in a pasty state, the grains have a huge nutritional potential and could improve the quality of the consumers' diet. In addition, the marketing of panicles harvested at the doughy grain stage offers substantial income benefits to farmers and traders. The straw of this sorghum is also an excellent fodder for the integration of agriculture with breeding. Despite the many advantages of this crop, it has long remained under-exploited due to insufficient knowledge of its potential and little research attention. However, the conservation and improvement of the quality of sweet grain sorghum is an important issue for the various stakeholders in the crop chain. Thus, based on the various research studies conducted on the crop since 2008 in Burkina Faso, this literature review highlights the importance of sweet grain sorghum, its role in crop diversification, its nutritional properties, as well as the future possibilities for selection and genetic improvement of this species.

In vivo cadmium-assisted dilute acid pretreatment of the phytoremediation sweet sorghum for enzymatic hydrolysis and cadmium enrichment

Phytoremediation with energy crops is considered an integrated technology that provides both environment and energy benefits. Herein, the sweet sorghum cultivated on Cd-contaminated farmland (1.21 mg/kg of Cd in the soil) showed promising phytoremediation potential, and the approach for utilizing sorghum stalks was explored. Sweet sorghum bagasse with Cd contamination was pretreated with dilute acid in order to improve enzymatic saccharification and achieve Cd recovery, resulting in harmless and value-added utilization. After pretreatment, hemicelluloses were dramatically degraded, and the lignocellulosic structures were partially deconstructed with xylan removal up to 98.1%. Under the optimal condition (0.75% H2SO4), the highest total sugar yield was 0.48 g/g of raw bagasse; and nearly 98% of Cd was enriched in the liquid phase. Compared with normal biomass, Cd reduced the biomass recalcitrance and further facilitated the deconstruction of biomass under super dilute acid conditions. This work provided an example for the subsequent valorization of Cd-containing biomass and Cd recovery, which will greatly facilitate the development of phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soil.