Physico-chemical characterization of pedigreed sorghum mutant stalks for biofuel production

Authors: XU, YOUJIE - Kansas State University; LI, JUN - Kansas State University; MOORE, CONNOR - Kansas State University; Xin, Zhanguo; WANG, DONGHAI - Kansas State University

Submitted to: Industrial Crops and Products
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/16/2018
Publication Date: 8/28/2018
Citation: Xu, Y., Li, J., Moore, C., Xin, Z., Wang, D. 2018. Physico-chemical characterization of pedigreed sorghum mutant stalks for biofuel production. Industrial Crops and Products. 124:806-811.

Interpretive Summary: With depletion of fossil fuel and the need to curb carbon dioxide release, renewable bioenergy has gained importance. As a highly productive grass, sorghum has been recognized as a major bioenergy feedstock. However, little is known about the genetic controls of bioenergy production. To identify genes that regulate sorghum biomass quality for bioenergy production, an ARS scientist (Lubbock, TX) analyzed 148 sequenced sorghum mutant lines in collaboration with scientists from Kansas State University. Sorghum mutants with altered sugars, heating values, and ash contents have been identified. These mutants provide important materials to identify genes that control the quality of sorghum biomass.

Technical Abstract: The successful commercialization of cellulosic biofuels depends on a stable and sustainable supply of high quality biomass at a reasonable cost. The physical property and chemical composition of the biomass are the most important indicators of a biomass source’s potential for biofuel application. This study characterized the physical and chemical properties of 148 pedigreed sorghum mutant stalks for biofuel production in order to accelerate the discovery of genes or gene mutations that underlie significant beneficial traits in sorghum. Large variations of chemical compositions were observed and indicated that breeding progress was achievable for sorghum development with desirable biofuel properties. The extractives are negatively correlated with the cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin contents with the R2 of 0.73, 0.76 and 0.89, respectively. However, no relationships between ash and extractives contents were found in this study. Among the tested 148 sorghum mutant stalks, sorghum mutant P625 was identified with high sugars, high heating values, but less ash contents, which was suitable for the biorefinery industries with both biochemical and thermochemical conversions.