Sweet Sorghum Improvement and Production in Brazil

Robert E. SchaffertEmbrapa Milho e Sorgo

schaffer@cnpms.embrapa.br

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)

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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

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXXx

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

reschaffert@hotmail.comschaffer@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)