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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Grain Quality and Structure Research » Research » Research Project #437049

Research Project: Relationships Between Sorghum Physical Grain Attributes, Grain Composition and End-use Quality

Location: Grain Quality and Structure Research

Project Number: 3020-43440-002-005-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Aug 1, 2019
End Date: Jul 31, 2024

Objective:
The objective is to investigate the inter-relationships between sorghum grain physical attributes, grain composition, processing, and end-use quality.

Approach:
Experiments will be conducted to investigate how sorghum physical grain attributes such as vitreousity, density, kernel hardness, weight and diameter relate to grain composition and milling quality of sorghum. Experiments will first focus on developing and optimizing methods for screening sorghum lines for vitreousity. Methods for measuring vitreousity will then be used along with standard grain hardness and density tests to select sorghum samples that vary in physical grain properties. Chemical composition of the grain samples will be determined using standard proximate analysis. Processing methods including roller milling, hammer milling and abrasive dehulling when then be used to physically fractionate the grain into bran, vitreous endosperm, and floury endosperm. Commercial milling streams will also be generated. Chemical composition of the isolated fractions and mill streams will be characterized along with physical properties (particle size, color, etc.). This will make it possible to build relationships between grain physical properties, chemical composition, processing quality and end-product quality and composition for sorghum. This will support the increased use of sorghum in food products by supplying data to optimize milling and other processing methods.