Biofuel, any fuel that is derived from biomass—that is, plant or algae material or animal waste. Sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.] produces food (grain) and fuel (ethanol from stem sap) and the stalks contain 10-15 % sugars. Ethanol obtained from sweet sorghum is considered “cleaner” than ethanol from other sources.  Sweet sorghum is a promising dryland biofuel feedstock that addresses food-verses-fuel issue favourably. Bioethanol from sweet sorghum (sorganol) is potentially a win-win solution. Enhance energy security, ecological and economical sustainability and livelihood development.

1. WELCOME
Joshi Avinash H.
M.Sc.(Hons.) Agriculture
Genetics and Plant Breeding
1

2. “Sweet Sorghum – A Novel
Opportunity for Biofuel
Production”
2

3. Content
Introduction
Biofuel
History
Why do we need biofuels ????
Sweet sorghum
Sweet Sorghum as biofuel
Case-study
Breeding Methods
Achievements
Conclusion
3

4.  Due to the expanding population, the world has seen a steep surge in energy demands.
 Most of our current energy requirement is fulfilled by burning fossil fuels.
 However, the use of traditional fuel is associated with an environmental surge in the intensity of
harmful gases like greenhouse gases and nitrogen oxide.
3.2 billion tons of additional carbon dioxide annually (Saritha Rani, 2014).
Use of fossil fuels is associated with long-term environmental impacts, which may contribute to
degrading land and desertification of fertile soils (Karp and Shield, 2008).
Burning fossil fuels for energy also releases particulates, sulfur dioxide gas, and other compounds that
can be harmful to human health.
Toxic gases causing Acid rain and Ocean acidification.
Air pollution from fossil fuels costs the global economy $8 bn a day (Greenpeace Southeast Asia).
The negative impacts of fossil fuel burning have been recognized worldwide, and search for
alternative fuel sources has begun.
Introduction
4

5. What is the Alternative ?
4

6. Biofuel, any fuel that is derived from biomass—that is, plant or algae material or animal
waste.
Biofuels are liquid or gaseous fuels produced from biomass that are generally high in sugar
(such as sugarcane, sugar beet, sweet sorghum), starch (such as corn and cassava) or oils
(such as soybeans, rapeseed, coconut, sunflowers, and palms). (energypedia.info)
Since such feedstock material can be replenished readily, biofuel is considered to be a source
of renewable energy, unlike fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal, and natural gas.
The two most common types of biofuels in use today are ethanol and biodiesel
The most common blend of ethanol is E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline). Some vehicles,
called flexible fuel vehicles, are designed to run on E85 (a gasoline-ethanol blend containing
51%–83% ethanol, depending on geography and season), an alternative fuel with much
higher ethanol content than regular gasoline. Roughly 97% of gasoline in the United States
contains some ethanol.
Biodiesel can be blended with petroleum diesel in any percentage, including B100 (pure
biodiesel) and, the most common blend, B20 (a blend containing 20% biodiesel and 80%
petroleum diesel).
Biofuel
6 Source: Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited

7. 7
Fig . 1 Changes in primary energy shares, 1850 to 2100.

8. One of the first inventor to convince the people of the
use of ethanol was a German named Nikolaus August
Otto.
In 1890s a Rudolf Diesel was the first person who made
biodiesel from vegetable oil.
In 1970s and 1980s Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) situated in America suggested that fuel should be
free from sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and
nitrogen oxides.
In 1998, EPA allowed the production of biofuel on
commercial level which is the alternative source of the
petrol.
In 2010, the production of biofuels reaches up to 105
billion litres worldwide.
In 2011, European countries were the largest that made
biodiesel almost about 53%.
The International Energy Agency set a goal to reduce
the usage of petroleum and coal and will be switched on
to biofuels till 2050.
History
8
Source: www.biodiesel.com, 2019

9. Why Do We Need Biofuels ????
 Easy to use
 Biofuel provides energy security
 Greenhouse gas and emission reduction
 Making the most of scarce resources
 Builds economic development
 Responding to higher energy consumption
 Recyclable and biodegradable
 National biofuel policy
 Create employment and new sources of income for rural and agricultural areas
9

10. Thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day World biofuels production
Biofuels Production by Region
10
Source:Statistical Review of World Energy 2020
Fig . 2

11. Biofuels Consumption by Region
Thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day World biofuels production
11
Source:Statistical Review of World Energy 2020
Fig . 3

12. 48
65.6
72.26
59.68
75.55
72.96 79.76
38.1
40.91
55.48
48.33
67.38 66.69
79.88
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2019 2020
Price of Petrol/liter Price of Diesel /liter
Historic Fuel Price Difference in India from 2010 to 2020
Year
Price/liter
12
Source: data.gov.in, 2020
Fig . 4

13. Classification According to Generations
FIRST (1st) GENERATION FUEL
Produced from
Agricultural crops
(Sugarcane, corn,
Sweet sorghum,
sugar-beet, wheat,
rapeseed). Can be
blended with
conventional fuel.
e.g. biodiesel, corn
ethanol, sugarcane
ethanol, sorghum
ethanol
SECOND (2nd) GENERATION FUEL
Produced from
Agricultural
residues (soil fruit
based, used
cooking oil,
industrial wastes).
e.g. biodiesel,
biogas,
biohydrogen
THIRD (3rd) GENERATION FUEL
Produced from
Algae feedstock
(water hyacinth,
blue green algae).
e.g. bioethanol,
biobutanol,
biomethanol
FORTH (4th) GENERATION
FUEL
Produced from photo
biological fuels and
electro fuels from
solar energy
e.g. hydrogen,
methane, bioethanol
13
Source: FAO

14.  Sweet Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] having a stalk containing sugar-rich juice, similar
to sugarcane. The sugars in the juice are a mixture of sucrose, glucose and fructose, with the exact
ratio varying by genotype (Murray et al., 2009).
 The term sweet sorghum used to distinguish varieties of sorghum with high concentration of
soluble sugars in plant stalk sap with wide flat leaves and round elliptical head full of grain at the
stage of maturity.
 Sweet sorghum regarded as “opportunity crop” for poor farmers as it provides Food, Feed,
Fodder, and Fuel. (4’F of Sorghum)
 Apart from grain and fodder, several alternative products such as forage, silage, syrup, jaggery,
alcohol, ethanol, sugar, wine, vinegar, pulp. paper, sweetener and natural pigments can be obtained.
 Plant look much like grain sorghum except it is often taller, reaching up to 4 m height. As it
accumulates a great amount of juice in the stalk.
 The crop needn't be grown on a farmer's best land, allowing the farmer to make use of poorer
ground.
Sweet sorghum
14

15. 2n = 2x= 20
It grows in clumps that may reach over 4 meters high
Often cross pollinated in nature
Emerged in north-eastern part of Africa, believed known to be a primary
center of genetic diversity
Brix% 16-19 Kharif and summer, 10-14 rabi
Versatile crop that can be cultivated in diverse physical and climatic
situations.
C4 species, soil temperatures for planting are 21 - 33°C.
Temperature of 27-30°C is required for optimum growth
Facts
15

16. Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Liliopsida
Order : Poales
Family : Poaceae
Genus : Sorghum
Origin : Africa
Subfamily: Panicoideae
Taxonomy
16

17. Sweet Sorghum as biofuel
17

18. Sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.] produces food (grain) and fuel (ethanol from
stem sap) and the stalks contain 10-15 % sugars.
New generation bioenergy crop with highly efficient photosynthetic system(C4) and is very
efficient in the utilization of soil nutrients.
It’s a climate resilient crop which matures earlier under high temperatures and short days.
Also called “the camel among crops” due to its drought resistance characteristics.
It has a low water requirement of 8000 m3/ha (over two crops annually) that is only 25 percent of
that required for sugarcane and about half the quantity of water required by sugar beet.
The biomass production capacity of sweet sorghum is equal or superior to sugarcane.
Ethanol obtained from sweet sorghum is considered “cleaner” than ethanol from other sources.
The energy gain from sweet sorghum is substantially more than the energy used in production.
B:C ratio of sweet sorghum (2.07) is comparatively higher than the grain sorghum(1.73)
(Rajashekhar 2007).
18

19. Characters of sweet sorghum that make it a viable source
of ethanol
Sweet Sorghum
As crop As an ethanol source As bagasse
 Shorter growth period (3-
4 months)
 Dryland crop and less
water requiring
 Greater resilience
 Farmer friendly
 Meets fodder/food needs
 low soil NO2 /CO2
emission
 Propagated by seed
 Eco-friendly process
 Superior quality
 Less Sulphur
 High octane
 Automobile friendly (up to
25% of ethanol petrol
mixture)
 Higher biological value
 Rich in micronutrients
 Use as feed/for power
cogeneration/biocompost
 Lignocellulosic substrate
for ethanol production
Source:(Modified from Reddy & Reddy 2003, Reddy et al., 2005 & 2009).
19

20. Feedstock Biomass yield
(tons ha-1 year-1)
Ethanol yield
(liters ton-1)
Ethanol yield
(L ha-1 year-1)
Molasses - 270 -
Sugarcane 50 70 3500
Sweet sorghum 92 108 5000
Maize 6 370 2220
Cassava 12 180 2160
Wood 20 160 3200
Potential ethanol yields by feedstock in sub-Saharan
Africa.
Table 1
Note: For sweet sorghum, at least two crops could be harvested per year in many countries, thus
doubling the typical biomass yield per crop of 46 tons ha-1.
Source: : www.olade.org.ec/biocombustibles/documents/pdf-17.pdf
20

21. Characteristics Sugarcane Sugar Beet Corn Sweet sorghum
Crop duration 12-14 months 5-6 months 3-4 months 3-4 months
Growing season one season one season all seasons all seasons
(depending on water
availability)
Propagation setts (40,000 ha-1) seed (3.6 kg ha-1;
pellet)
Seed (8 kg ha-1) seed (8 kg ha-1)
Soil requirement grows well in
drained soil
grows well in sandy
loam; also tolerates
alkalinity
grows well in sandy
loam
all types of drained
soil
Crop management requires intense
management
250 to 400 Kg ha-1 N
25 Kg ha-1 P
125 Kg ha-1 K
requires moderate
management
120 Kg ha-1 N
60 Kg ha-1 P
60 Kg ha-1 K
requires intense
management
120 Kg ha-1 N
60 Kg ha-1 P
60 Kg ha-1 K
Minimal
management; low
fertilizer
80 to 90 Kg ha-1 N
40 Kg ha-1 P
Comparison of sweet sorghum with other bioethanol
feedstocks
Table 2
21

22. Characteristics Sugarcane Sugar Beet Corn Sweet sorghum
Yield (t ha-1) 65-80 (stalk) 85-100 (beet) 5-10 (grain) 40 - 55 for one
cycle/year (stalk)
80 - 110 for two
cycles/ year (stalk)
Sugar content on
weight basis (%)
10 – 12 15 – 18 - 7 – 12
Sugar yield (t ha-1) 5-12 11-18 - 4 to 6 for one
cycle/year
7 to 12 for two
cycles/year
Ethanol yield from
juice/grain (l ha-1)
4350-7000 7100- 10500 2150-4300 2000 to 3500 for one
cycle/year
4000 to 7000 for two
cycles/year
Harvesting mechanically
harvested
mechanically
harvested
mechanically
harvested
Predominantly
manual and
mechanical
harvesting at pilot
scale
Source: :Modified from Vinutha et al., 2014, Almodares and Hadi 2009; Grassi 2000 22

23. Yield parameters in sweet sorghum
Table 3
Sr.
No.
Character Average Yields
1 Green cane yield or stripped stalk yield (tonnes/ha) 40-55 Kharif and Summer (with protective irrigations)
2 Juice yield (litres/ha) 12000-14000
3 Brix (%) 16-19 (Kharif and summer)
10-14 (Rabi)
4 Reducing sugars (%) 2-4
5 Pol (sucrose %) 8-12
6 Juice extraction (%) 40-45 (Small mill)
>60% (Big mill)
7 Bagasse yield (tonnes/ha) 5-8 (Dry wt basis)
8 Ethanol yields (litres/ton of cane) 40-50
9 Power from bagasse (MW/ha) 2-2.5
10 Grain yields (tonnes/ha) 2-4
23

24. Fig .5 The various uses of sweet sorghum
Source: https://biotechnologyforbiofuels.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13068-
017-0834-9
24

25. Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) 2016 (Maharashtra)
NARI has developed a sweet sorghum strain NARI-SS-5
(christened as Madhura-2) which not only out yielded the
released varietal cultivars but also the hybrid cultivar by a
considerable margin in kharif and it has also been found to
be highly suitable for production under rabi conditions.
High yielding sweet sorghum variety Madhura-2 for both
Kharif (Monsoon) and Rabi (Post-Monsoon)
Vrijendra Singh, Nandini Nimbkar and Anil K. Rajvanshi
Case Study 1
25

26. Entry
Total sugar
index (q/ha)
Computed
ethanol yield
(l/ha)
fresh
biomass
(t/ha)
Total Fresh
stalk yield
(t/ha)
Juice brix
(%)
Juice yield
(l/ha)
Grain yield
(q/ha)
Madhura-2
(NARI-SS-5)
19.0 1013 52.17 38.57 16.64 15073 16.40
CSV-19-SS
(National Check)
15.7 837 41.94 29.54 16.61 11447 15.56
CSV-24-SS
(National Check)
14.9 794 43.60 31.19 16.35 10978 17.73
CSH-22-SS
(Hybrid Check)
15.9 846 47.62 34.00 16.68 12722 19.62
CD 0.05 6.8 363 8.56 5.80 1.10 2539.4 3.51
Total sugar index, computed ethanol yield and their components for Madhura-2 in
Kharif (monsoon) AICSIP trials (Pooled over locations and years from 2012-2014)
Table 4
Maharashtra NARI. January 2016
26

27. Total sugar index, computed ethanol yield and their components for Madhura-2 in
Rabi (post-monsoon) AICSIP trials (Pooled over locations and years from 2012-2014)
Table 5
Entry
Total sugar
index (q/ha)
Computed
ethanol yield
(l/ha)
fresh
biomass
(t/ha)
Total Fresh
stalk yield
(t/ha)
Juice brix
(%)
Juice yield
(l/ha)
Grain yield
(q/ha)
Madhura-2
(NARI-SS-5)
10.9 658 39.71 28.46 13.85 11453 25.36
CSV-19-SS
(National Check)
6.2 368 33.98 20.87 13.02 7613 18.27
CSV-24-SS
(National Check)
5.0 298 30.53 17.83 10.48 6703 28.79
CSH-22-SS
(Hybrid Check)
5.2 302 34.95 20.00 10.72 7627 33.97
CD 0.05 5.2 274 6.86 6.7 2.27 4421 9.58
Maharashtra NARI. January 2016
27

28. Electronic Journal of Plant Breeding, Mar 2015 (Allahabad)
OBJECTIVE:
To identify new hybrids and parents of sweet
sorghum with good combining ability for different
traits of interest.
Combining ability and heterosis on millable stalk and sugar
concentration for bioethanol production across environments
in sweet sorghum
D.M. Bahadure, Shailesh Marker, A.V. Umakanth, Prabhakar, P.
W. Ramteke, J.v. Patil and B.S. Rana
Case Study 2
28

29. General combining ability effects and per se performance of lines and
testers for characters in sweet sorghum
Table 6
Fresh stalk yield
(t/ha)
Juice yield (l/ha) Total soluble solids
(%)
Bio-ethanol yield
(t/ha)
Grain yield (kg/ha)
gca per se gca per se gca per se gca per se gca per se
PMS-71 A 0.68* 14.29 -2498.68*** 6538.27 0.63*** 15.22 –160.65*** 530.88 303.91*** 1460.518
ICSA-675 4 –0.55 10.08 270.89 4342.96 –0.20 11.88 1.75 276.44 –425.25*** 1892.04
NSS-23 A –1.64*** 11.52 –1411.85*** 6123.08 –0.58*** 13.88 -171.08*** 460.00 –722.50*** 1922.64
NSS-8 A –1.43*** 7.32 445.92 4433.70 0.07 14.22 26.86 332.11 650.22*** 1210.62
NSS-1016 A 2.95*** 15.92 3193.71*** 5132.56 0.22* 13.22 308.12*** 364.22 193.61*** 1919.28
Testers
SSV-74 3.58*** 35.30 2383.61*** 17713.58 0.05** 16.00 203.65*** 1511.11 910.84*** 2181.42
SSV-84 3.34*** –22.58 -2264.87*** 8632.46 0.37* 14.77 –161.11*** 682.55 –5.25 1581.51
CSV-19 SS –0.30 30.66 196.21 15597.40 0.14 16.55 26.99 1376.11 711.89*** 1553.66
RSSV-138-1 13.30*** 40.14 4089.67*** 25322.53 –0.09 13.44 302.63*** 1816.22 -1367.32*** 807.33
RS-647 –7.64*** 19.50 –4013.92*** 8719.13 –0.78*** 12.55 -387.63*** 571.00 –240.84*** 1888.72
UK-81 –5.59*** 20.06 –390.70 7223.45 0.30* 16.00 15.45 622.00 –9.32 2903.80
Allahabad *,**,*** Significant at P at 0.05, 0.01 and 0.001, respectively Bahadure et al., 2015
29

30. Hybrids per se Heterosis (%) sca effects gca of parent
MP BP P1 P2
NSS 1016 A × UK-81 2404.33 387.58** 286.55** 661.18*** 0.22* 0.30*
NSS 8 A × RSSV-138-1 2248.33 106.23** 23.79** 218.01** 0.22* 302.63***
NSS 8 A × RSSV-138-1 2137.44 98.99** 17.69 383.38*** 26.86 302.63***
ICSA 675 × SSV-74 1991.67 122.84** 31.80** 361.69*** 1.75 203.65***
NSS 1016 A × SSV-74 1868.56 99.28** 23.65** –62.78 0.22* 203.65***
Per se performance, heterosis and specific combining ability effects of top
ranking 5 hybrids with general combining ability effect of their parents for bio-
ethanol yield (L/ha) in sweet sorghum
Table 7
Allahabad *,**,*** Significant at P at 0.05, 0.01 and 0.001, respectively Bahadure et al., 2015
30

31. Hybrids per se Heterosis (%) sca effects gca of parent
MP BP P1 P2
NSS 1016 A x RSSV-138-1 71.26 158.35** 77.53** 14.82*** 2.95*** 13.30***
NSS 8 A x RSSV-138-1 55.66 134.51** 38.51** 3.61** –1.43** 13.30***
ICSA 675 x RSSV-138-1 52.75 110.05** 31.42** –0.17 –0.55 13.30***
ICSA 675 x SSV-74 50.05 120.53** 41.77** 6.83*** –0.55 3.58***
NSS-23 A x SSV-74 47.01 100.82** 33.18** 4.89*** –1.64*** 3.58***
Per se performance, heterosis and specific combining ability effects of top ranking
5 hybrids with general combining ability effect of their parents for fresh stalk
yield (t/ha) in sweet sorghum
Table 8
Allahabad *,**,*** Significant at P at 0.05, 0.01 and 0.001, respectively Bahadure et al., 2015
31

32. International Journal of Applied Science, 2018 (Kenya)
OBJECTIVE:
To identify superior sweet sorghum cultivars for
ethanol production by evaluating their productivity
in different regions of Kenya.
Cane Yield and Juice Volume Determine Ethanol Yield in
Sweet Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)
Justice K. Rono, Erick K. Cheruiyot, Jacktone O. Othira &
Virginia W. Njuguna
Case Study 3
32

33. Genotype Cane yield(t/ha) Juice yield(l/ha) Ethanol
SS04 21.1b 5116b 349ab
SS14 22.0b 5835b 376ab
SS21 16.1c 3098c 230c
SS17 20.1bc 4635b 306bc
EUSS17 20.2bc 5018b 359ab
EUSS10 27.4a 7807a 420a
EUSS11 23.5ab 5794b 413a
ACFC003/12 23.5ab 5455b 423a
Cane yield and juice volume determine ethanol yield in Sweet
sorghum
Table 9
Kenya Rono et al., 2018
33

34. Correlation among stem traits and grain yield in sweet sorghum
Table 10
Juice yield
(L/ha.)
Ethanol yield
(L/ha.)
Brix
(%)
Extractability
(%)
Plant height
(cm)
Days to 50 %
heading
Grain yield Total sugar
(%)
Cane yield
(T/ha)
0.9099*** 0.8228*** 0.1331ns 0.0304ns 0.6867*** 0.0885ns 0.3677*** -0.2050ns
Juice yield
(L/ha.)
0.8431*** 0.1608ns -0.0008ns 0.6356*** 0.2289** 0.3790*** -0.2043ns
Ethanol yield
(L/ha.)
0.0252ns 0.0011ns 0.5048*** 0.0194ns 0.3217*** -0.1679*
Brix (%) 0.1315ns -0.4846*** 0.0221ns 0.1091ns 0.5640***
Extractability
(%)
-0.1051ns 0.1367ns 0.1286ns -0.0904ns
Plant
height(cm)
-0.5790ns 0.1170ns -0.3374***
Days to 50 %
heading
0.1873* -0.0119ns
Grain yield -0.4360ns
Kenya *,**,*** Significant at P at 0.05, 0.01 and 0.001, respectively Rono et al., 2018
34

35. Theor Appl Genet 2010, (Germany)
Genetic mapping of QTLs for sugar-related traits in a RIL
population of Sorghum bicolor L. Moench
Amukelani Lacrecia Shiringani, Matthias Frisch, Wolfgang Friedt
Case Study 4
 In four different environments (two locations) using a population
of 188 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from a cross between
grain (M71) and sweet sorghum (SS79)..
 A genetic map with 157 AFLP, SSR, and EST-SSR markers was
constructed, and several QTLs were detected using composite
interval mapping (CIM).
35

36. Trait
Parental lines Recombinant inbred lines (RILs)
SS79 M71 Mean Standard
deviation
Minimum Maximum
Flowering days 112.00 95.00 105.85 6.78 91.69 142.73
Plant height (cm) 238.27 118.23 152.61 38.89 69.25 251.63
Stem diameter (cm) 1.66 1.76 1.77 0.16 1.33 2.26
Number of tillers per plant 3.00 2.00 2.23 0.35 1.22 5.40
Fresh panicle weight (g/plant) 43.96 105.43 57.97 19.00 2.57 124.53
Estimated juice weight (g/plant) 488.19 192.35 296.8 93.28 148.63 623.08
Brix% 16.98 10.71 14.89 1.59 10.02 17.93
Glucose content (g/L) 12.38 5.49 7.88 0.99 5.02 19.97
Sucrose content (g/L) 112.82 48.89 115.92 15.83 42.87 156.12
Sugar content (g/L) 134.40 59.15 131.68 16.49 44.39 176.87
Mean values, standard deviations, and range for sugar components and sugar-related
agronomic traits in recombinant inbred lines across environments
Table 11
Germany Shiringan et al., 2010
36

37. FD. PH. Diam PW Tillers Juice Brix Glucose Sucrose
PH 0.183** 1
Diam. 0.369*** -0.277*** 1
PW -0.626*** -0.128 -0.141* 1
Tillers -0.148* -0.003 -0.111 0.024 1
Juice 0.445*** 0.741*** 0.016 -0.239*** 0.195*** 1
Brix 0.251*** 0.626*** -0.056 -0.290*** 0.080 0.636*** 1
Glucose 0.147* 0.088 -0.173* -0.133*** 0.051 0.239*** 0.122** 1
Sucrose 0.152* 0.427*** -0.051 -0.141*** 0.046 0.363*** 0.606*** -0.334*** 1
Sugar -0.142** 0.214*** 0.320*** 0.256*** -0.052* 0.011 0.386*** 0.556*** 0.988***
*,**,*** Significant at P at 0.05, 0.01 and 0.001, respectively
Pearson’s correlation coefficient of sugar-related traits
Table 12
Germany Shiringan et al., 2010
37

38. 38
Fig. 6 Genetic linkage map of the M71 × SS79 RILs consisting of 102 AFLP,
49 SSR, and 6 EST-SSR.

39. 39
Conti….

40. 40
Sweet sorghum crop
Total biomass
Grains
(used also as food/animal
feed)
Sorghum cane
Crushing
Processing
(sugar fermentation
and distillation)
Bagasse
Leaves
(used as
fodder and
fertilizer)
Collection
of residual
matter
Recovery of hydrated
juice
(soluble sugars)
DDGS
and CO2
Recovery
of crude
ethanol
Final processing
(Dehydration)
Ethanol
Used as
•Feed
•Pulp
•Electricity
•Charcoal
•Lignin by product
Industrial fuel
(wood, paraffin, LPG industries
etc.)
Transport fuel
(gasoline used for blending with
petrol)
Harvesting
Pretreatment
and enzymatic
hydrolysis
Extracted juice
(soluble sugars)
Various sweet sorghum
processing options.
doi.org

41. Elite line x Elite line
Advancement as B or R lines
F1
F2
F3
F4
F5
F6
F7
F8
F9
Selection based on
per se
Test crossing for
sterility/fertility
Seed
increase
Combining
ability studies
Development of new sweet sorghum genotypes by the
pedigree method 41
Breeding Methods

42. Stem borer resistance donor × elite sweet
sorghum (SS) line
Selection under artificial infestation
F1 × SS line
BC1F1
BC1F2,F3/F4
BC1F3 × SS-line
BC2F1
BC2F2,F3/F4
BC2F3 × SS-line
BC3F BC5F2
BC5F3
BC5F7
BC5F8
Selection under
artificial infestation
Selection among and
within families under
artificial infestation
Seed increase
Transfer of resistance genes by the backcross method into elite sweet sorghum lines 42

43. The important sweet sorghum varieties released at international level are Rio, Dale, Brandes, Theis,
Roma, Vani, Ramada and Keller.
BJ 248, RSSV 9, NSSV 208, NSSV 255 and RSSV 56 are National level released varieties
In between 2011 and 2016 a total of 10 sweet sorghum hybrids and 40 varieties were tested. One sweet
sorghum variety, CSV 24SS developed by ICAR-IIMR was released in 2011.
A sweet sorghum hybrid, named Phule Vasundhara (RSSH-50) has been developed by Rahuri
center and released in 2015 for cultivation in the state of Maharashtra.
RSSV 313 has been identified as donor parent for high biomass sweet sorghum improvement.
A sweet sorghum hybrid, RVJICSH 28 was released by Indore center for the state of Madhya
Pradesh.
Hybrid Madhura - Nimkar Agricultural Research Institute
VMS 98003 with a cane yield of 45.7 t/ha and ethanol yield of 3.6 kl/ha - TNAU
About 4000 samples of improved sweet sorghum female hybrid parents, restorers/ varieties and
hybrids have been supplied to over 42 countries.
World Biofuel Day is observed on 10th August every year.
Theme for 2020: “Biofuels towards Atmanirbhar Bharat”.
 Celebrated by: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas since 2015.
43
Achievements

44. Developed at ICRISAT. The
variety is tolerant to shoot fly,
stem borer and leaf diseases. It
ratoons well and has staygreen
stems and leaves even after
physiological maturity. This
variety has performed very well
in the Philippines yielding 3.4 -
4.1 t/ha grain while the biomass
yield was 50 t/ha in both main
and ratoon crops.
Brix: 17%
Cane yield/ha: 53 t
Juice yield/ha: 28 kl
The variety has excellent fodder
quality when grown in rainy
season.
It is resistant to leaf diseases. It
was released in Andhra Pradesh
State in 1990.
Brix: 19%
Cane yield/ha: 48 t
Juice yield/ha: 26 kl
The variety is resistant to leaf
diseases.
Brix: 18.5%
Cane yield/ha: 52.7 t
Juice yield/ha: 11.3 kl
It is the first sweet sorghum
variety developed by AICSIP,
Rahuri in 1992.
Tolerance to Shootfly, Aphids,
Rust
ICSV 93046
SPV 422
NTJ 2
SSV 84

45. Director General DAR and Principal Scientist Belum
VS Reddy in a field of CSH 22SS, a sweet sorghum hybrid
Scientist P. Srinivasa Rao in front of ICSV 25274 ratoon crop
Sweet sorghum vinegar on display.
Sweet sorghum varieties
45

46. ICRISAT through its Agri-Business Incubator has used sweet sorghum for ethanol production in
partnership with Rusni Distilleries (Rusni).
Which is claimed to be the world’s first sweet sorghum-based ethanol production distillery with a
capacity of 40 kilolitres per day (KLPD).
This distillery, which started its commercial ethanol production in June 2007 (Vinutha et al., 2014),
reported an ethanol yield of 45 l/ton of crushed stalks (Basavaraj et al., 2012).
Rusni Distilleries
Tata Chemicals
 M/s Tata Chemicals, Ltd started a sweet sorghum based distillery with a capacity of 30 KLPD at
Nanded, Maharashtra with the technical support from ICRISAT and IIMR.
 It operated between 2008 and 2010 using sweet sorghum as a feedstock for ethanol production and
produced 90 KL of transport-grade ethanol during 2010.
NOTE: Neither of these distilleries could continue due to the unfavourable ethanol procurement price
prevailing that time, and the challenges ensuring a reliable supply of feedstock.
46

47. Sweet sorghum is a promising dryland biofuel feedstock that addresses food-
verses-fuel issue favourably.
Crop consumes half the quantities of water required by sugar beet and a third of
the requirement for sugarcane, produce large quantities of dry matters in a short
duration.
Bioethanol from sweet sorghum (sorganol) is potentially a win-win solution.
Enhance energy security, ecological and economical sustainability and livelihood
development.
Breeding in sweet sorghum for high and stable yield with improved drought has
received top priority at ICRISAT.
47
Conclusion