Sweet Sorghum Improvement and Production in Brazil
Robert E. SchaffertEmbrapa Milho e Sorgo
www.cnpms.embrapa.br
Consultation on Pro-poor Sweet Sorghum Development for Bio-ethanol - IFAD
November 8-9, 2007
In the late 1970´s Brazil initiated a bio-energy program (Pro-Alcohol) anticipating an energy crises caused be a shortage of petroleum to meet Brazil's fuel needs.
There was a strong incentive to develop technology for micro-distilleries (100L hr-1) and mini-distilleries (1000L hr-1)
Embrapa´s sweet sorghum program was developed to provide raw material for these distilleries.
Pilot Projects were successfully developed in the mid-1980’s at Sete Lagoas, Brasilia, and Pelotas to process sweet sorghum in micro-distilleries.
The potential uses of sweet sorghum for
food, fiber, fertilizer, ethanol, and methane
gas production(Embrapa Maize and Sorghum)
xxxx
Silage
Advantages of Using Sweet Sorghum vs. Sugarcane
• Sweet sorghum may be harvested 3 – 4 months after planting
• Sweet sorghum production can be completely mechanized
• The sweet sorghum crop can be established from seed
• The grain from sweet sorghum can be used as food, feed or fuel
• The bagasse from sweet sorghum has a higher biological value than the bagasse from sugarcane when used as a forage for animals
• Sweet sorghum is more water use efficient
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Integrated rural energy system developed at Embrapa Maize and Sorghum 1980 Integrated Rural Energy System Developed at Embrapa Maize and Sorghum 1980
Other uses
Sweet Sorghum
Sugarcane
Micro-distillary
Development of Sweet Sorghum Cultivars
Breeding priorities depend upon how the product will be used
• Panicles removed for food or feed Small vs. large panicles
• Juice is extracted from stalks and leaves Not feasible to separate leaves and stalks
• Juice fermented in micro- and mini-distilleries Juice extraction less efficient in smaller distilleries
• Bagasse used for forage or fuel Starch present in sorghum juice and stalk Biological value of sweet sorghum bagasse is greater for sweet sorghum than for sugarcane
• Tillering vs. Non-tillering to control stalk diameter
A Simple Flow Diagram of a Roller Mill Micro-distillery; Used in Establishing Breeding Priorities at Embrapa Maize and Sorghum
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A - roller mill, B - boiler, C - yeast treatment and distribution tank, D - juice distribution tanks, E - fermentation tanks, F – beer holding tank, and G - distillation column (Embrapa Maize and Sorghum)
Sweet Sorghum
Planting
Harvesting
Sugarcane
Planting
Harvesting
Planting and harvesting periods for sweet sorghum and sugarcane in Brazil. (Embrapa Maize and Sorghum)
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Industrial Planning
Ratoon HarvestIrrigation Required
Yield and Quality Goals must be Established
• Minimum Total Sugar Extraction – 80 kg 1t-1 biomass
Considering 60-65% Extraction Efficiency
• Minimum Biomass Yield - 40 tha-1
• Minimum Alcohol Yield – 40L t-1 biomass
Considering: 60 -65% sugar extraction efficiency 90% Fermentation Efficiency 90% Distillation Efficiency or 81% Industrial Efficiency
• Minimum Total Sugar Content in Juice – 12.5%
• Establish minimum parameters for determining Period of Industrial Utilization (PIU - 80 kg 1t-1 biomass)
• Minimum PIU – 30 days
Total Biomass Production of Two New Sweet Sorghum
Varieties Developed at Embrapa for Micro-
distilleries
*
** **
Average values of brix, total invert sugars, juice extraction, and fiber of selected sweet sorghum varieties grown at Araras, São Paulo, Brazil in 1981.
Variety BrixTotal invert sugars
(% juice)Extraction
(% sorghum stalks)Fiber
(% sorghum stalk)
Brandes 16.7 14.7 63.2 12.5
Honey 13.0 11.1 73.0 11.6
Sart 14.7 12.4 69.8 14.8
Rio 16.4 14.2 57.6 16.1
MN 1500 14.2 11.4 61.1 18.5
MN 1048 14.1 13.4 56.5 22.0
MN 1030 15.2 10.0 47.6 25.8
MN 4008 10.6 10.5 74.9 12.0
Williams 13.5 12.4 70.5 10.1
MN 4080 14.1 ----- 45.7 26.6
Wray 19.3 16.8 67.5 14.8
Theis 16.4 14.2 71.5 14.8
Redlan 10.5 7.4 67.0 13.6
Tx623 10.8 7.0 64.0 13.6
Source: Schaffert and Borgonovi (1980)
Sweet Sorghum Nomenclature
Sweet sorghum variety names that begin with the letter or sound or R are high sucrose types and variety names that begin with other letters are low sucrose types. Redlan and Tx623 are non-sweet juicy stem female lines.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxZzzz
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
RIO
PIU – 32 days
PIU – 58days
WRAY
The interaction of refractometry
Brix and percent total reduced
sugars in the juice and percent
fiber, percent juice extraction,
and percent sugar extraction of
sorghum stalks during the
maturity phase for the varieties
Rio and Wray grown in Brazil,
(Embrapa Maize and Sorghum)
XXX
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Sugar extracted ( Kg 100 Kg biomass)
-1
Percent water in the biomass
Percent fiber of fresh biomass
xxx
xxx
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Total Sugars (%)
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Brix, Total Sugars, Fiber and Percent Water of four sweet sorghum cultivars at Embrapa Maize and Sorghum, Sete Lagoas, Brazil, 1986/87.
BR 501 = Brandes, BR 505 = Wray, BR506 and BR507 are new derived varieties
Total sugars (% juice)
Brix (% juice))
BR 505
Period for Industrial Utilization
xxxxWray 8% Total sugars
Wray 9% Total sugars
Wray PUI 32 days
Wray PUE 51 days
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The interaction of refractometry Brix and percent total invert sugars in the juice
and percent fiber, percent juice extraction, and percent sugar extraction of
sorghum stalks during the maturity phase for the variety Rio grown in Brazil
(Embrapa Maize and sorghum) .
PUI 28 days
Su
ga
r e
xtr
ac
tio
n (
%)
Bri
x, t
ota
l su
gar
s (%
), f
iber
(%
), a
nd
ju
ice
extr
acti
on
(%
)
The interaction of refractometry Brix and percent total invert sugars in the juice and percent fiber, percent juice extraction, and percent sugar extraction of stalks during the maturity phase for the variety Brandes grown in Brazil (Embrapa Maize and Sorghum).
PUI – 35 days
Bri
x, t
ota
l su
gar
s (%
), f
iber
(%
), a
nd
juic
e ex
trac
tio
n (
%)
Su
gar
ext
ract
ion
(%
)
CMSXS 623 (Brandes Derivative)
Days after planting
The interaction of refractometry Brix and percent total invert sugars in the juice and percent fiber, percent
juice extraction, and percent sugar extraction of sorghum stalks during the maturity phase for the variety
CMSXS 623 grown in Brazil (Embrapa Maize and sorghum).
The interaction of refractometry Brix and percent total invert sugars in the juice and percent fiber, percent juice extraction, and percent sugar extraction of stalks during the maturity phase for the variety Brandes grown in Brazil (Embrapa Maize and Sorghum).
PUI 37 days
The interaction of refractometry Brix and percent total invert sugars in the juice and percent fiber, percent juice extraction, and percent sugar extraction of sorghum stalks during the maturity phase for the variety Wray grown in Brazil (Embrapa Maize and sorghum) .
PUI 54 days
The interaction of refractometry Brix and percent total invert sugars in the juice and percent fiber, percent juice extraction, and percent sugar extraction of stalks during the maturity phase for the variety Brandes grown in Brazil (Embrapa Maize and Sorghum).
Cultivar
Biomass
Production(t ha-1)
Extracted Sugar Yield
(kg 100 kg-1) (t ha-1)
Alcohol Yield
Ideal(L ha-1)
81%Efficient(L ha-1)
Relative(% Wray)
BrandesWray
BR506BR507
47.444.648.852.0
7.210.99.79.6
3.44.64.75.0
2208294630623231
1788238624812617
75100104110
Embrapa Maize and Sorghum 1986/87
Biomass and Alcohol Production of two new Cultivars, BR506 and BR507, Compared to Brandes and Wray
Current Plant Breeding Strategies and Priorities
• Develop sweet sorghum 3 dwarf A and B lines (female) to be used in hybrid development and production
- Identify molecular markers for juicy stem and sweet juice - Incorporate genes for multiple stress (biotic and abiotic) resistance
• Evaluate existing new sweet sorghum cultivars (approx. 50) and develop new sweet sorghum R lines (male) to be used in hybrid development and production - Incorporate genes for multiple stress (biotic and abiotic) resistance
• Identify molecular markers for tillering - Non-tillering desired to be able to control stalk diameter with plant population (better extraction with large stem diameter)
• Develop transgenic sweet sorghum with sucrose isomerase gene (SI), a gene that regulates the transformation of sucrose to isomaltulose and thus can increase the sink capacity of sugar storage (Wu and Birch, Plant Biotechnology Journal (2007) 5 (pp109-117)
Plant Breeding Strategies and Priorities (cont.)
• Develop high yielding biomass cultivars for cellulose conversion to bio-energy
- Identify molecular markers for maturity genes Ma5 and Ma6 to be able to develop photosensitive (PS) sorghum biomass hybrids
Ma5Ma5ma6ma6 is photo-insensitive (PIS) and flowers in approximately 60 days regardless of day length.ma5ma5Ma6Ma6 is photo-insensitive and flowers in approximately 60 days regardless of day length.
The hybrid between these genotypes, Ma5ma5Ma6ma6 is photo-sensitive (PS) and floral initiation is only induced with day lengths less than 12h and 20min.
This can be useful in both sweet sorghum and biomass sorghum in locations farther from the equator where there is more variation in day lengths (McCollum et al. reported average yield increases of 25% of PS hybrids over PIS hybrids at Amarillo, Texas).
Plant Breeding Strategies and Priorities (cont.)
• Develop high yielding biomass cultivars for cellulose conversion to bio-energy
- Identify molecular markers for brown midrib low lignin genes genes brm-6 and brm-12
Homozygous brm-6 hybrids and brm-12 hybrids have been reported to reduce lignin content in sorghum biomass by 50%
Production Cost of alcohol from sweet sorghum in Brazil in micro-distilleries in November, 1980.
Item US$
Production Cost /ha 320.00
Cost/t stalks (30 t/ha) 10.67
Cost/t stalks (40 t/ha) 8.00
Cost/t alcohol (45 liter/t and 40 t/ha) 0.22
Cost/t alcohol (59 liter/t and 40 t/ha) 0.20
Cost/t alcohol (68 liter/t and 40 t/ha) 0.17
Source: Embrapa Maize and Sorghum, Sete Lagoas, MG, Brazil.
The price of ethanol today (November 5, 2007) is about US$ 0.35 L-1 at the distillery gate and US$ 0.75 to 0.90 at the pump, depending on the distance from distilleries
Estamos incorporando o gene para tolerância ao Al em nossas linhagens elites em seis gerações usando a casa de vegetação em dois anos. O parâmetro usado é crescimento de raiz em solução nutritiva por sete dias.
Usando este tecnologia estamos empilhando genes úteis em genótipos com tolerância ao estresse múltiplo.
Estamos com ensaios no campo com três níveis de Al para quantificar o efeito dos genes para tolerância ao Al tóxico na produtividade e estabilidade de produção.
Seleção p/ Tolerância ao Al em Solução Nutritiva
BR 007B SC 283
Tol x Suc F3 Progenies
Linhagem Recorrente Fonte Susceptível x Tolerante
Cross tt x TTF1 TtBC1 tt x TtBC1F1 ½ Tt (½ tt eliminado em solução nutritiva)BC2 tt x TtBC2F1 ½ Tt (½ tt eliminado em solução nutritiva) . . .BC4F1 ½ Tt (½ tt eliminado em solução nutritiva)
BC4F2 ¼ TT ½ Tt (½ tt eliminado em solução nutritiva)
BC4F3 100% TT and 97% Igual ao pai recorrente
Retrocruzamento Assistido para Desenvolver Linhagens de Sorgo com Tolerância ao Al Tóxico.
Incorporação de Tolerância ao Al em Cultivares de Sorgo Elite e Desenvolvimento de Linhagens Isogênicos
COELHO & SCHAFFERT, 2005
Intra-Specific Diversity for Al Tolerance in Sorghum
• SC283 and SC566 rely on the same locus AltSB for Al tolerance
• Genetic basis apparently narrow
• 8 different Al tolerant sources x BR012
• Inheritance study and linkage analysis to markers in the AltSB region
• SSR-based phylogenetic analysisRRG - +Al/-Al
Genotypes {11} {20} {27} {39}BR007B 45 21 16 9BR012R 87 52 35 20IS8577 113 78 55 29
SC112-14 105 82 45 18SC549 100 91 74 50
3DX571-1-1-9-D 116 95 70 529DX9-11 99 82 70 63
5DX61-6-2 125 113 96 55SC175-14 104 100 84 78
CMSXS225R 94 109 109 82SC566-14 124 103 105 98
SC283 103 114 112 107
• Al tolerance gene diversity for pyramidation via breeding
• Stronger alleles of AltSB
• Different haplotypes at AltSB for candidate gene validation
• Foundation for future association tests
• A identificação e conhecimento das mudanças no rhizosfero, mecanismos de aquisição e utilização de P facilitarão a manipulação destes parâmetros.
• Não existe conhecimento de parâmetros nos cereais correlacionados a eficiência de aquisição/utilização de P.
Grão Grão Resposta Classe
Pedigree Tol Baixa P Alta P ao P
Al t/ha t/ha (%)
BR 007B S 1.95 4.86 2.49 IR
SC283 T 2.66 3.29 1.23 E N
BR 005R S 2.74 3.51 1.28 E N
Médio Ensaio 2.16 3.60 1.43
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Xxxx
BR007B (IR) BR 005R (EN) SC 283 (EN)
+ P - P + P - P + P - P
Pelos de raízes dos genótipos SC283 (eficiente) e
BR007 (responsivo) em estresse de P
SC283BR007
Desenvolvimento de Sorgo Mais Eficiente na Aquisição de P
• Tem a necessidade de identificar ou desenvolver genótipos com diferenças na habilidade de adquirir e utilizar P eficientemente
• Utilizando condições de campo, solução nutritiva, e casa de vegetação, identificamos genótipos de sorgo contrastantes para aquisição e resposta ao P
Plantas de Sorgo com
21 Dias em Rhizobox
SC 283
+P -P
BR007B
Sorgoleone Production by Various Sorghum Genotypesa
Sorghum Genotype
Root Fresh Wt
(RFW) (g)
Sorgoleonemg
Sorgoleone per unit RFW
(mg/g)
% Purity
RTx433 0.15 0.10 0.67 91.8
RTx7078 0.15 1.80 12.00 98.7
RTx430 0.08 0.30 3.75 94.9
B Redlan 0.15 2.67 17.80 80.2
B Wheatland 0.33 0.83 2.50 78.3
a- three replicates of 25 seedlings each Fonte: Chandrashekhar I, et al.; J. Agric. Food Chem. 1996, 44, 1343−1347
SC 283 – SEM FÓSFORO
Photomicrograph of Sorghum bicolor roots showing a sorgoleone-rich oily exudate secreted from the root hairs (Bar=80 μm) and b closer view of a root hair with sorgoleone exuding at the tip (Bar=15 μm). Sorgoleone-rich oil from tip of root hairs also exudes from secondary roots originating either from c roots (Bar=125 μm) or d stem (adventitious roots) (Bar=350 μm)
Fonte: F.E. Dayan, USDA-ARS Natural Products Utilization Research Unit, P.O. Box 8048, University, MS 38677, USA
Produção diferencial de Sorgoleone em Sorgo
BR 007 B – SEM FÓSFORO
Hibrido Sorgo Forrageiro de Corte
Tx635bmr6A x
Tx2784bmr6R
Hibrido Sorgo Forrageiro de Corte
Tx635bmr6A x
Tx2785bmr6R
Desenvolvimento de Cultivares de Sorgo Forrageiro de Alta Qualidade (bmr6 bmr6)
Linhagens A e B bmr6
A/BTx 635A/B BR007A/B CMSXS205A/B CMSXS206A/B BR008A/B CMSXS156A/B CMSXS 157
Linhagens R bmr6
RTx2784RTx2785CMSXS912CMSXS225
Desenvolvimento de novas linhagens bmr6 A/B e R com tolerância ao múltiplo estresse
Final Remarks
• Embrapa has a relative large number (50 -60) of sweet sorghum varieties available for characterization for quality and utilization in developing experimental hybrids.
• The variety BR501 (Brandes) is tolerant to Al toxicity and is the restorer parent in two commercial forage sorghum hybrids. Brandes probably was selected 25 years ago because it was tolerant to Al toxicity.
• Brandes was successfully used in two pilot sweet sorghum distilleries in Jundiai, SP and Pelotus, RS.
• The proof of concept of sweet sorghum as a biofuel source has been determined. The next step is an economic evaluation for competitiveness with other available raw materials.
• Embrapa is currently evaluating the return to an active research and development program with sweet sorghum as a source for bio-fuels.
Thank You
Robert SchaffertEmbrapa Maize and Sorghum
[email protected]@cnpms.embrapa.br
Tel: +55-31-3779-1076
Hibrido Sorgo Forrageiro de Corte
Tx635bmr6A x
Tx2785bmr6R
Percent fiber and juive extraction of cultivar Brandes at Araras, CNPMS/EMBRAPA, 1981 and 1982 (Schaffert et al. 1986).
Percent fiber and juive extraction of cultivar Wray at Araras, CNPMS/EMBRAPA, 1981 and 1982 (Schaffert et al. 1986).
Fiber Increases and
Juice Extraction Decreases with Time
Brandes
Wray
Percent juice extraction of four sweet sorghum cultivars at CNPMS/EMBRAPA, Sete Lagoas, Brazil, 1986/87, BR 501 = Brandes; BR 505 = Wray.
Juice Extraction Varies Between Cultivars
Agricultural and Industrial yields of sweet sorghum in Brazil.
Component Agricultural Yield Alcohol yield
(t/ha) (liter/t) (liter/ha per harvest)
Stalks Range 22 - 66 55 - 85 1210 - 5610
Average 37.7 70 2639
Grain Range 1.4 - 6.6 310 - 370 434 - 2442
Average 2.2 340 748
Total Range 1644 - 8052
Average 3387
Source: Schaffert and Borgonovi (1980)
Mean yield of stalk, fermentable sugar, alcohol, freshbiomass and seed of sweet sorghum in experiments at the Beijing
Botanical Garden
Cultivar
Theis M-81E Wray Keller Brandes Rio
Stalk (kg/ha) 95 89 76 76 62 52
Fermentable sugar (t/ha)
10.6 9.6 10.3 10.5 6.4 6.2
Alcohol (l/ha) 6 159 5 607 5 981 6 131 3 696 3 617
Fresh material (t/ha) 125 128 106 107 89 82
Seed (kg/ha) 6 674 6 213 1 426 1 960 3 500 2 866
Comparison of juice between sweet sorghum and sugarcane in Brazil.
Sweet Sorghum
Trait Literature National Trials Sugarcane (São Paulo averages)
Juice extraction (%) 350 - 600 500 - 700 600 - 800
Retractometer Brix 16 - 20 14 - 20. 18 -21
Sucrose (% juice) 10 -15 8 - 16. 15 - 18
Invert sugars (% juice) 1 - 4 0.7 - 7.3 0.2 - 1.5
Total invert sugars (% juice) 14 - 20 14 - 18 16 - 19
Source: Schaffert and Borgonovi (1980)
Sucrose vs. Total sugars
Maximum dry matter production and maximum growth rates of several crops.
Dry Matter Production Maturity Average Growth rate Maximum growth rate
Crop (t/ha) (days) (gm/m2 per day) (gm/m2 per day)
Napier 106 365 26 -----
Sugarcane 70 365 18 38
sugarbeet 47 300 14 31
Forage sorghum 30 120 22 -----
Forage sorghum 43 210 19 -----
Sudangrass 33 160 18 51
Alfafa 36 250 13 23
Bermudagrass 35 230 14 20
Alga 44 - 74 300 15 - 22 28
Source: Loomis and Willian (1963)
National Forage Sorghum Trial - 1986/87 Embrapa Maize and Sorghum
Location and Date of Planting
Linhares Goiânia Capinópolis Ituiutaba Taquari Cruz AltaS.J. dos Campos Mean Relative
ES GO MG MG RS RS SP Mean
Cultivar 10.12.86 29.12.86 01.12.86 16.12.86 12.12.86 04.12.86 09.01.87
BR601 (%)
Biomass Production (t/ha wet weight)
BR506 (V) 46.3 55.2 43.3 55.5 41.9 59.3 50.8 52.8 109
BR507 (V) 41.1 53.2 43.7 47.3 39.8 55.7 68.1 49.5 102
BR601(H) 47.3 44.1 41.1 54.3 47.6 55.1 66.0 48.6 100
BR126* (MV) 19.1 39.6 36.6 35.0 25.5 32.3 36.0 32.1 66
Biomass Production (t/ha dry weight)
BR506 (V) 14.4 11.6 10.2 NA 13.4 17.7 18.7 14.6 108
BR507 (V) 15.6 12.4 11.7 NA 14.1 18.9 18.2 15.6 115
BR601(H) 12.0 14.6 12.7 NA 14.8 18.3 14.3 13.5 100
BR126* (MV) 7.4 16.9 15.4 NA 9.9 11.8 12.7 11.5 85
* Forage Maize Variety
**
**
*
Pe
rce
nt
tota
l s
ug
ar
(Ju
ice
)
Wray
Rio
Brandes
CMSXS623
Days after planting
The differences between four cultivars grown in Brazil for total invert sugars of the juice during the maturity phase of production (Embrapa Maize and sorghum).
Rio
a
CMSXS623WrayBrandes
Brandes
CMSXS623
Wray
Rio
Days after planting
The differences between four cultivars grown in Brazil for juice extraction and
fiber content of the stalks during the maturity phase of production (Embrapa
Maize and Sorghum).
Per
cen
t fi
ber
an
d j
uic
e ex
trac
tio
n
Average yields:
Stalks
Leaves, peduuncle and heads
Tons/ha
32.9
13.6
46.5
Estimated approximate composition of sweet sorghum sugar varieties in the United States (Nathan, 1978)
Average yields:
Stalks
Leaves, peduncle and heads
total
Tonnes/ha
47.4
19.3
66.7
Estimated approximate composition of sweet sorghum syrup varieties in the United States (Nathan, 1978)