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Sweet sorghum Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a promising crop for bioethanol production characterized by its high biomass yield, sugar-rich stalks, facile juice extraction, and ability to adapt to different production systems. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of cultivation practices (soil treatments) on the juice, sugar, and ethanol yields of sweet sorghum variety Roger. Three methods of tillage (minimum, traditional, and traditional tillage with rupture of the plow layer) and three types of fertilizers (inorganic, organic, and without fertilizer) were assayed. The best results of stem yield (44.3 tons/ha), juice production (25.6 m3/ha), concentration of soluble solids in the juice (16.9 °Brix), and juice ethanol yield (2.1 m3/ha) were obtained under a mixture of traditional plowing with plow layer breaking, applying an organic fertilizer. In addition, the extracted juice allowed yeast (industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae PE-2) growth and conversion to ethanol without the need for nutrients supplementation. Therefore, sweet sorghum continues to be an interesting bioenergetic crop for production of first-generation biofuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is cultivated in regions with frequent drought periods and high temperatures, conditions that have intensified in the last decades. One of the most important photosynthetic components, sensible to hydric stress, is maximum quantum yield for photosystem II (PSII, or Fv/Fm). The objective of the present study was to identify sorghum genotypes with tolerance to hydric and heat stress. The treatments were hydric status (hydric stress or non-hydric stress (irrigation)), the plant's developmental stages (pre or post-anthesis), and six genotypes. The response variables were Fv/Fm; photosynthetic rate (PN); stomatal conductance (gs); transpiration rate (E); relative water content (RWC); damage to cell membrane (DCM) at temperatures of 40 and 45 °C; and agronomic variables. The experiment was conducted in pots in open sky in Marín, N.L., in the dry and hot northeast Mexico. The treatment design was a split–split plot design, with three factors. Hydric stress diminished the functioning of the photosynthetic apparatus by 63%, due to damage caused to PSII. Pre-anthesis was the most vulnerable stage to hydric stress as it decreased the weight of grains per panicle (85%), number of grains per panicle (69%), and weight of 100 grains (46%). Genotypes LER 1 and LER 2 were identified as tolerant to hydric stress, as they had lower damage to PSII; LER 1 and LEB 2 for their superior RWC; and LER 1 as a thermo tolerant genotype, due to its lower DCM at 45 °C. It was concluded that LER 1 could have the potential for both hydric and heat stress tolerance in the arid northeast Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing global demand for energy and the reduction of energy based on oil are driving the search for new sources of energy that are environmentally friendly. To achieve this goal, it is also necessary to optimize the related processes. In this study, the behavior of the agronomic parameters of, and the energy invested in, production systems based on a new variety of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) called ROGER were determined to define the optimal production conditions. To this end, three methods of tillage (minimum, traditional, and traditional tillage with rupture of the plow layer) and three types of fertilizers (inorganic, organic, and without fertilizer) were established, and to estimate the energy efficiency, the inputs and the energy outputs of each system were considered. The traditional tillage with breaking of the plow layer and the organic fertilizer showed the highest values of plant height (2.45 and 2.39 m, respectively); total fresh weight of the plant (51.66 and 50.77 t·ha−1, respectively), of the stem (42.7 and 41.05 t·ha−1, respectively), and of the juice (21.89 and 22.57 t·ha−1, respectively); the volume of the juice (20,783.12 and 22,529.59 L·ha−1, respectively); and Brix degrees (16.04% and 15.01%, respectively). However, the highest energy efficiency was registered in the production system that used the minimum tillage, with a value of 15.11, as well as when no fertilizer was applied with 18.68. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melanaphis sacchari Zehntner (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is an important destructive pest in forage sorghum in Nuevo León, Mexico. This study was conducted to identify predatory and parasitoid insect species associated with this pest in Nuevo León, and their impact on its biocontrol. During the monitoring period, identified insects indicated the coexistence of 8 coccinellid species, 2 syrphid species, and 1 chrysopid species. In addition, 2 hymenopteran species were identified. After the insecticide applications, sugarcane aphid population was reduced by about 20.6% (about 14 nymphs per cm2); when the sampling ended, population was reduced by about 70.6% (about 5 nymphs per cm2), thus indicating predator and parasitoid biocontrol. Collected data allowed us to conclude that the biological controllers were responsible for the principal pest population reduction. Overall, results showed that yellow sugarcane aphid predatory and parasitoid species may play an important role in the pest management in sorghum crops in Nuevo León, Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study was to evaluate the agronomic performance of A, B isogenic lines and R grain sorghum lines which restore androfertility of sorghum for grain production. This work was performed during the spring-summer 2010 in Marin Nuevo Leon under drip irrigation. Days to flowering, seed yield per plant, brix degrees and weight of 1000 seeds were measured. The statistical analysis with the benchmark test of averages with independent samples was realized in A, B sorghum lines to days to flowering, seed yield per plant, brix degrees and weight of 1000 seeds. In R lines the analysis of variance and DMS (P<0.05%) test was performed. A an B lines were not completely isogenic; there are A and R lines that may be crossed to produce commercial sorghum grain seed. B and R lines might be used as varieties and A, R parental lines planting splits were defined to produce hybrid sorghum seed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) is a crop that is well known for its high production of biomass and sugars in the stem juice. The objective of this work was to evaluate the productivity of sweet sorghum 'Roger' based on the dynamics of sugar production and dry biomass by considering different production methods and plant phenological stages. The experimental design consisted of different tillage and fertilization methods established in a randomized complete block design with a split plot arrangement. Tillage treatments were assigned to the plot using the three levels of minimum tillage, traditional tillage, and traditional tillage that included a subsoil operation. Fertilization treatments were assigned to the subplot using the three levels of organic fertilizer, inorganic fertilizer, and without fertilizer. Data collection was performed at different plant phenological stages from anthesis to physiological maturity. Results showed that evaluated agronomic parameters depended on the phenological stage (P < 0.05) rather than the production methods (P > 0.05). Thus, the distribution and accumulation of sugar by stem internodes was associated with plant phenological components. The highest values of the concentration of total soluble solids (14.89%), juice sugar content (22.91 g), juice sugar concentration (527.46 mg g-1 DW), dry biomass (60.04%), and dry biomass yield (19.01 t ha-1) were observed at the physiological maturity stage of the plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charcoal rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina (MP) is the most important disease that limits sorghum dryland production in northern Tamaulipas, Mexico. Grain yield losses caused by MP are approximately 30%. The objective of this study was to evaluate the response of experimental and commercial hybrids to MP and identify MP tolerant progenitors. Experimental hybrids RB-118 x 435 and RB-27 x 437 showed MP tolerance and grain field similar to commercial checks Pioneer 82G63, Pioneer 84G62, RB-Patrón, Asgrow Z- 400, RB-3030, and DK-47, and greater than Asgrow-Ámbar. Progenitor females that produced tolerant MP hybrids were LRB-118 and R-27, and males Tx-435 and Tx-437. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]