Sorghum

A study was conducted to assess effects of stocking rate (SR) on grazing behavior and energy expenditure (EE) by growing sheep and goat wethers co-grazing grass/forb pastures. Grazing was for 16-week periods in 2002 and 2003. Pastures consisted of various grasses, primarily bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) and johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense), and forbs (e.g., ragweed; Ambrosia spp.). Sheep (Khatadin) and goats (≥75% Boer) averaged 21 ± 0.7 and 21 ± 0.5 kg initial BW, respectively, and were 4-5 months of age when grazing began. Stocking rates were four (SR4), six (SR6), and eight (SR8) animals per 0.4-ha pasture, with equal numbers of sheep and goats. The nine pastures (three/treatment) were divided into four paddocks that were rotationally grazed in 2-week periods. In weeks 3, 8, and 13 of both years, EE was determined on one goat and one sheep in each pasture via heart rate. In the same weeks, behavioral observations (position and activity) were made every 30 min of 13.5 h of daylight on two goats and two sheep in each pasture. Grazing behavior using IGER Grazing Behavior Monitoring System units was also measured over 24-h periods on animals used for EE measurement. Based on visual observations, grazing (52.7, 57.1, and 61.4%) and standing time (61.1, 66.3, and 69.8%) increased and idle time in daylight (24.2, 21.1, and 15.9% for SR4, SR6, and SR8, respectively) decreased linearly (P < 0.05) as SR increased. Species interacted (P < 0.05) with year in daylight time spent standing and ruminating. Grazing time during daylight was similar between species (56.1 and 58.0% for sheep and goats, respectively), although idle time was greater (P < 0.05) for goats (23.6% versus 17.2%; S.E. = 1.41). Time spent ruminating in daylight was similar among SR but was greater for sheep in year 2 but not year 1 (year 1, 22.3% versus 19.0%; year 2, 27.8% versus 15.1% for sheep and goats, respectively; S.E. = 1.44). Based on the IGER units, the number of steps increased linearly (P < 0.05) with increasing SR (2279, 2707, and 2788 for SR4, SR6, and SR8, respectively (S.E. = 96.4)), but was similar for the two species. As SR increased, time spent eating increased (7.4, 8.4, and 9.6 h) and time spent lying (11.0, 10.2, and 8.9 h), G. Animut et al. / Small Ruminant Research 59 (2005) 191-201 ruminating (7.9, 7.7, and 6.8 h), and idle (8.6, 8.0, and 7.6 h for SR4, SR6, and SR8, respectively) decreased (P < 0.05). Goats spent less time eating (1.1 h) and more time idle (0.7 h) than did sheep (P < 0.05). SR, species, and year interacted (P < 0.05) in EE of wethers (year 1, sheep: 510, 569, and 572 kJ/kg BW 0.75 ; year 2, sheep: 572, 597, and 648 kJ/kg BW 0.75 ; year 1, goat: 524, 524, and 640 kJ/kg BW 0.75 ; year 2, goat: 499, 496, and 551 kJ/kg BW 0.75 for SR4, SR6, and SR8, respectively; S.E. = 17.0). In summary, influences of SR on grazing time and EE can vary with grazing season. With forage conditions of this study, SR had similar effects on grazing behavior of sheep and goats when co-grazing. Effects of SR on EE may contribute to impact on ADG by small ruminants.

A regional sorghum head-bug and grain mold resistance trial was conducted in 1996 and 1997 at 15 and 13 research stations located in 10 West and Central African countries, respectively. Two cultivars namely IS 14384 and CGM 39/17-2-2 exhibited consistently high levels of resistance both to head-bugs and grain molds over years and localities. Eurystylus oldi was the dominant head-bug species at all localities except in Benin, Chad and Guinea. Sorghum grain mycoflora varied little between sites with genera Phoma and Fusarium dominating, followed by Curvularia. Efficiency of the insecticidal treatment on head-bug incidence partially confirmed the critical role played by head-bugs in aggravating mold infection.

African smallholder farmers face perennial food shortages due to low crop yields. The major cause of poor crop yields is soil fertility decline. The diversity of sites and soils between African farming systems is&lt;span class=GramE&gt;great,&lt;/span&gt;therefore strategies to solve soil fertility problems should suit the opportunities and problems encountered in the different climatic regions. This thesis characterizes the semi-arid regions of south-western Zimbabwe and explores some of the strategies that can be used to provide farmers with more options for soil fertility improvement.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Resource flow maps were used to study the characteristics of the semi-arid farming system of Tsholotsho (Mkhubazi)in south-western&lt;st1:place w:st=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;st1:country-region w:st=&quot;on&quot;&gt;Zimbabwe. The results revealed that farmers in the region face perennial cereal grain shortages, but the poorly-resourced farmers are the most affected. N...

Positive correlations between plant height and grain yield have been reported for sorghum. The introduction of stay-green in sorghum, and the associated reduction in lodging, has opened the possibility to exploit this positive association. The aim of this study was to analyse the direct effects of the dwarfing gene dw3 (and therefore plant height) on shoot biomass, grain yield, and yield components in pairs of 3-dwarf genotypes and their isogenic 2-dwarf tall mutants. Isogenic pairs with different genetic backgrounds were grown in three field experiments under nutrient and water non-limiting conditions. Tall mutants were significantly taller and produced more shoot and stem biomass than their shorter counterparts. Generally, tall types yielded more grain than short types, but significant interactions between experiment, genetic background and stature affected the consistency of the results. dw3 only affected grain size and not grain number. Increased grain mass of tall types was associated with significantly greater stem mass per grain at anthesis and greater shoot biomass per grain accumulated between anthesis and maturity. The increased biomass of tall plants was therefore important for increased grain yield under optimum conditions. Potential implications of increased biomass production for drought adaptation are discussed.

Sorghum (Fetrita) was soaked in water for 12 hours, germinated for 3, 5 and 7 days in a shadow under cover and dried by sunlight for 2-3 days. Crude protein and tannin content of germinated sorghum were determined and it's metabolizable energy value was calculated. Four isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets were formulated using Fetrita germinated for zero (control), 3, 5 and 7 days each in a starter and a finisher diet and were fed to unsexed commercial broiler chicks (Hypeco) for 42 days. The results showed that by seventh day of germination crude protein increased by 31%, tannin content increased by 100% and reached toxic level and metabolizable energy was decreased by 6%. Germination of low-tannin sorghum for 3 days had no effect on feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio of broiler chicks throughout the whole period. Increase in days of germination decreased growth of broiler chicks. It seems that germination of low-tannin sorghum grains has little beneficial effects on broiler chicks' performance and it increased tannin concentration.

Contrary to irrigated agriculture thet use blue water, rainwater haNesting that use green water in forms of the direct rain and runoff, has been accorded little importance in terms of economic research, investment, technology transfer and management. This bias happens whereas 60-70 per cent of food production is rain fed and based on green water. The perception by majority of our water planners has been that, water haNesting in the upper watersheds would reduce blue water flows downstream. Improved management of rainwater in the upper watersheds for agriculture, livestock and domestic use would reduce pressure on the blue water downstream. However, the promotion of rainwater haNesting in the upper watersheds requires an ex-ante analysis related aspects of economic benefits, eco-hydrology and human dynamics. This paper demonstrates the economic benefits of rainwater management for crop production in a semi-arid Makanya Watershed in the Pangani river basin. The results from a two-seasons yield monitoring done between 2002 to 2004 for maize and lablab show that, rainwater haNesting has the potential for poverty reduction through improved yields, returns to land and labour. These findings justify investment and technology transfer1n rainwater haNe~ting for crop production in the upper watersheds of our major river basins.

Aim of the study was to compare corn and sorghum forages, before and after ensiling, in terms of chemical-nutritional characteristics and fermentation kinetics, to substitute corn silage with sorghum silage. The trial was performed using sorghum (Sorghum vulgare) and corn (Zea mais) incubated in vitro at 39°C for 120 h with buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) rumen fluid. The in vitro gas production technique was used to describe the fermentation kinetics and to estimate the enery value of forages. From chemical composition and in vitro fermentation emerged that for corn the ensiling caused more modification compared to sorghum in terms of loss of soluble fractions.

Changes in India's seed regulations during the 1990s favored the growth of privatelyas compared to publicly-funded sectors. Most advances have been made in the major millet crops, sorghum and pearl millet, as compared to finger millet and other minor millet crops, which in many ways dependent on local markets for seed purposes. In this study, we have analyzed the evolving interactions between formal systems related to the delivery of modern varieties and informal systems for maintaining traditional seeds in the semi-arid regions of India. It is evident that in these marginal environments, crop and variety use decisions, and the crop biodiversity levels take place within the context of local seed markets and a national seed industry. The outcome of the study would help to identify potential entry points for millet crop improvement and related seed system interventions for marginal environments of India.

In recent years, many sorghum producers in the more marginal (<600 mm annual rainfall) cropping areas of Queensland and northern New South Wales have used skip row configurations in an attempt to improve yield reliability and reduce sorghum production risk.

Root-associated bacteria can have beneficial effects on their host plants. Microbial products can promote and stimulate plant growth or lead to bioprotection against pathogens. This study aimed to isolate putatively beneficial bacteria from traditional cereals grown by subsistence farmers in the Kavango of Namibia. Bacteria were isolated from surface-sterilized roots of Pennisetum glaucum, Sorghum bicolor, and Zea mays, and subjected to phenotypic and phylogenetic analyses. A total of 44 root-associated bacterial strains were isolated. From 33 distinct isolates, 22 belonged to Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, while 11 were Proteobacteria. Eleven novel phylotypes were among the isolates. Features known to contribute to plant growth-promotion and biocontrol were tested in vitro and revealed promising candidates with multiple beneficial characteristics. This is the first report on the characterization of native isolates associated with important agriculture crops in the Kavango region of Namibia. Such isolates have the potential for application as inoculants adapted to poor soils and local crops. Desiccation-tolerant or sporulating Gram-positive bacteria are of particular interest for this region, which is characterized by a long dry season.

Microalga Chlorella protothecoides can grow heterotrophically with glucose as the carbon source and accumulate high proportion of lipids. The microalgal lipids are suitable for biodiesel production. To further increase lipid yield and reduce biodiesel cost, sweet sorghum juice was investigated as an alternative carbon source to glucose in the present study. When the initial reducing sugar concentration was 10 g L À1 in the culture medium, the dry cell yield and lipid content were 5.1 g L À1 and 52.5% using enzymatic hydrolyzates of sweet sorghum juice as the carbon source after 120 h-culture in flasks. The lipid yield was 35.7% higher than that using glucose. When 3.0 g L À1 yeast extract was added to the medium, the dry cell yield and lipid productivity was increased to 1.2 g L À1 day À1 and 586.8 mg L À1 day À1 . Biodiesel produced from the lipid of C. protothecoides through acid catalyzed transesterification was analyzed by GC-MS, and the three most abundant components were oleic acid methyl ester, cetane acid methyl ester and linoleic acid methyl ester. The results indicate that sweet sorghum juice could effectively enhance algal lipid production, and its application may reduce the cost of algae-based biodiesel.

O experimento foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar o desempenho de vacas da raça Holandesa em lactação, alimentadas com rações contendo diferentes níveis (0, 12, 24 e 36%) de palma forrageira (Opuntia ficus indica Mill) em substituição à silagem de sorgo (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench). Foram utilizadas oito vacas distribuídas em dois quadrados latinos (4x4). Cada período experimental teve duração de 21 dias, sendo 14 destinados à adaptação dos animais às rações e sete para coleta. Os consumos de matéria seca (MS), em kg/dia, % de PV e em relação ao peso metabólico (g/kg0,75), e matéria orgânica e carboidratos totais, expressos em kg/dia, não foram influenciados pela adição de palma na ração, apresentando valores médios de 20,18; 3,41; 167,80; 18,86; e 14,85, respectivamente. O consumo de carboidratos não-fibrosos, em kg/dia, aumentou, e os de fibra em detergente neutro, em kg/dia e % de PV, fibra em detergente ácido; proteína bruta e extrato etéreo, expressos em kg/dia, diminuíram...

A study was made on the molecular and structural changes occurring in the protein and starch components of sorghum flour when fermented to prepare typical non-malted Sudanese foods. Protein solubility and SDS-PAGE studies indicated that water-soluble proteins are the main target of hydrolysis during fermentation. Proteolysis products are taken up for bacterial growth. Kafirins are among the proteins left intact by proteolytic events in the fermentation step. Upon cooking in boiling water kafirins are converted into protein aggregates almost insoluble even in the presence of 8 M urea and of disulphide-reducing agents. Viscoamylographic and microstructural studies indicate that fermentation leads to the release of starch granules from very compact structures in the original sorghum flour, in which proteolysis-sensitive, water-soluble proteins form an essential part of the outermost shell of large structures, where starch granules are embedded into a kafirin-rich protein matrix that is not affected by proteolytic events during fermentation.

We have mapped the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) conferring resistance to sorghum downy mildew (Peronosclerospora sorghi; SDM) and Rajasthan downy mildew (P. heteropogoni; RDM), two species of DM prevalent throughout India. QTL mapping was carried out on a backcross population of 151 individuals derived from a cross between CM139 (susceptible parent) and NAI116 (highly resistant to both SDM and RDM). Heritability estimates were 0.74 for SDM and 0.67 for RDM. Composite interval mapping combined with a linkage map constructed with 80 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers resulted in the identification of three QTLs (one each on chromosomes 2, 3 and 6) for SDM resistance and two QTLs (one each on chromosomes 3 and 6) for RDM resistance, all of which were contributed by NAI116. The significance of the major QTL on chromosome 6 (bin 6.05) that confers resistance to diverse DMs in tropical Asia, including SDM and RDM in India, was also verified. The results confirmed that some common QTLs contribute to both SDM and RDM resistance, while additional loci might specifically govern resistance to SDM. The QTL information generated in this study provide information that will aid in undertaking an integrated breeding strategy for the transfer of resistance to SDM and RDM in maize lines using marker-assisted selection.

Identifying natural variation of health-promoting compounds in staple crops and characterizing its genetic basis can help improve human nutrition through crop biofortification. Some varieties of sorghum, a staple cereal crop grown worldwide, have high concentrations of proanthocyanidins and 3-deoxyanthocyanidins, polyphenols with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We quantified total phenols, proanthocyanidins, and 3-deoxyanthocyanidins in a global sorghum diversity panel (n = 381) using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and characterized the patterns of variation with respect to geographic origin and botanical race. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) with 404,628 SNP markers identified novel quantitative trait loci for sorghum polyphenols, some of which colocalized with homologues of flavonoid pathway genes from other plants, including an orthologue of maize (Zea mays) Pr1 and a homologue of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) TT16. This survey of grain polyphenol va...

The natural forests and meadows of the Green Mountain of Libya are classified as the richest floristic region of the country. Among various species Cynara scolymus L. (Asteraceae), is the most used medicinal plant. C. scolymus L., has long been regarded as noncrop food and also as an effective medicinal plant. In the current study, total phenols as well as flavanoids were determined in methanolic and aqueous extracts the of C. scolymus L. rhizomes in order to assess their contribution to the antioxidant activity. Free radical scavenging activity of the extracts was investigated and compared with ascorbic acid. Methanolic extract exhibited a higher total phenols (45.11 mg GAE/g DW) and flavonoids (37.00 mg Rutin/g), that results in a high antioxidant activity with IC 50 (17.77 µg/ml). In contrast, aqueous extract showed a lower total phenolic and flavonoid contents (37.79 mg GAE/g DW and 15.51 mg Rutin/g DW, respectively) and IC 50 (66.3 µg/ml). Isolated flavonoids showed the highest free radical scavenging activities (IC 50 = 13.33 µg/ml). The in vitro antibacterial activity of C. scolymus L. rhizomes was investigated against various strains of bacteria by hole-plate diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the crude methanol, flavonoids and alkaloids extracts found to be between 0.03 and 200 mg/ml for the susceptible organisms, with that of MRSA being the least.

Changes in pH, titrable acidity, protein, non-protein nitrogen, total soluble solids, protein fractions and in vitro protein digestibility were investigated during fermentation and/or after supplementation of sorghum flour with whey protein. The pH of the fermenting material decreased sharply with a concomitant increase in the titrable acidity. The total soluble solids increased with progressive fermentation time. The crude protein and non-protein nitrogen both increased with fermentation time. The protein content and fractions were significantly (p 6 0.05) increased after supplementation with whey protein. The albumin plus globulin fraction increased significantly (p 6 0.05) during the first 8 h of fermentation after supplementation with 5% whey protein. Other fraction contents were observed to fluctuate during the fermentation time. Supplementation of the cultivar flour with 10% whey protein greatly increased the protein content as well as the albumin plus globulin fraction while other fractions were significantly decreased. The in vitro protein digestibility was significantly (p 6 0.05) improved during fermentation and even after supplementation. Sensory evaluation of locally processed sorghum products (Kisra, Asida and Nasha) before and after supplementation showed no difference between the supplemented samples and the control ones as judged by trained panellists.

A study was conducted to determine the effect of level of substitution of Red Swazi A sorghum variety (RSA) for maize on average feed intake (ADFI), average daily body weight gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR), hot carcass mass (HCM), cold dressed mass (CDM), drip loss (DL) and backfat thickness (BF) in Large White (LW), Mukota and F 1 crossbred pigs. Twelve pigs of each breed were randomly assigned to diets that contained 0, 200, 400 and 600 g/kg of RSA, and similar levels of energy and crude protein. The pigs were kept for 14 weeks. There was a linear decrease in ADG in the crossbred pigs as the sorghum level increased (P < 0.05). In the LW pigs, no linear or quadratic relationships existed in ADG. The ADG in the Large White and crossbred pigs was 0.69 and 0.61 kg, respectively. In Mukota pigs, however, there was a linear increase (P < 0.05) in ADG with sorghum inclusion level. The least square mean ADG for Mukota pigs was 0.34. The FCR increased (P < 0.05) in both LW and crossbred pigs as sorghum level increased, but no statistically significant change was observed in the Mukota. The least square mean FCR were 4.2, 3.3 and 3.7 for Mukota, LW and crossbred pigs, respectively. The respective DL values were 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03 for the Mukota, LW and crossbred pigs. The BF values were 8.8, 14.5 and 14.0 for Mukota, LW and crossbred pigs,

El presente estudio se efectuó con la finalidad de evaluar en el valle de México dos tipos de presentación del alimento (granulado y harina) en pollos de engorda, y su efecto sobre las variables productivas y mortalidad por síndrome ascítico. Se emplearon 276 pollos machos, de un día de edad, de la estirpe Ross x Ross, en un diseńo experimental completamente al azar, con dos tratamientos y seis repeticiones con 23 pollos cada una. Los tratamientos fueron: a) pollos alimentados con dietas granuladas ad libitum; y b) pollos alimentados con dietas en harina ad libitum. Las dietas utilizadas fueron elaboradas con base en sorgo más pasta de soya, en dos fases: iniciación (0 a 21 días de edad) con 22 % de proteína cruda y 3,050 kilocalorías de EM/kg, y finalización (22 a 49 días de edad) con 20 % de proteína cruda y 3,100 kilocalorías de EM/kg. Los pollos con alimento granulado tuvieron mayor (P<0.01) ganancia de peso (3,357 ± 112 g vs 2,991 ± 48 g) y consumo de alimento (6,139 ± 277 g vs 5,361 ± 77 g), que los alimentados con harina, pero con una mayor mortalidad por síndrome ascítico (42.7 ± 3.3 % vs 8.7 ± 0.8 %), lo cual indica que en el pollo de engorda actual criado en el valle de México, a mayor ganancia de peso y mayor consumo de alimento hay mayor mortalidad por este síndrome.

Crops respond to N deficiency through a reduction in resource capture and/or resource use efficiency. The objective of this paper is to examine whether differences in this response pattern are associated with either metabolic group (C 3 vs. C 4 ) or botanical classification (mono-vs. dicotyledons). Hereto, we analysed the effect of N deficiency on the relationships between N uptake, LAI, and biomass accumulation, for maize, sorghum, wheat, canola, tall fescue, and sunflower, grown in experiments in either France or Australia. Maize and tall fescue maintained LAI per unit biomass (measure of resource capture) at the expense of N uptake per unit LAI (measure of resource use efficiency). Wheat and canola had the opposite response, whereas sunflower and sorghum were intermediate. In general, C 4 species reduced N uptake per unit LAI more than C 3 species. Species differences in the effect of N deficiency on resource use efficiency were associated with differences in the SLN or in the N storage capacity of the stems. For wheat, canola, and tall fescue, SLN declined with increasing LAI under high N conditions, and the minimum crop SLN under N deficiency was only marginally lower than under high N conditions. For sorghum, sunflower, and maize, crop SLN under high N changed little with increasing LAI, but the minimum crop SLN under N deficiency was considerably lower than under high N. Sorghum and maize were the only species that substantially decreased stem N uptake per unit LAI under N deficiency. Overall, our data suggest that C 3 species are better able to maintain resource use efficiency under N stress than C 4 species, and a survey of literature suggests this may be because in C 4 species, the critical SLN for radiation use efficiency is higher than the critical SLN for leaf expansion, whereas the opposite is the case for C 3 species. We hypothesise that species differences in response to N deficiency could be associated with these differences in critical SLN, which in turn could be a consequence of the lower photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency of C 3 crops. #

Experiments were carried out to study which soil physical factors, if any, would restrict germination and emergence of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.), under field conditions in Tanzania. The study also aimed to consider the usefulness of mulching as a strategy to overcome such problems, and to contribute to the development of a strategy for modelling seedling emergence in seedbeds in the field.

This paper reports the development of natural cellulose technical fibers from soybean straw with properties similar to the natural cellulose fibers in current use. About 220 million tons of soybean straw available in the world every year could complement the byproducts of other major food crops as inexpensive, abundant and annually renewable sources for natural cellulose fibers. Using the agricultural byproducts as sources for fibers could help to address the concerns on the future price and availability of both the natural and synthetic fibers in current use and also help to add value to the food crops. A simple alkaline extraction was used to obtain technical fibers from soybean straw and the composition, structure and properties of the fibers was studied. Technical fibers obtained from soybean straw have high cellulose content (85%) but low% crystallinity (47%). The technical fibers have breaking tenacity (2.7 g/den) and breaking elongation (3.9%) higher than those of fibers obtained from wheat straw and sorghum stalk and leaves but lower than that of cotton. Overall, the structure and properties of the technical fibers obtained from soybean straw indicates that the fibers could be suitable for use in textile, composite and other industrial applications.

Target region amplification polymorphism (TRAP) is a fairly new PCR-based molecular marker technique which uses gene-based information for primer design. The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of TRAP markers for assessing genetic diversity and interrelationships in sugarcane germplasm collections. Thirty genotypes from the genera Saccharum, Miscanthus, and Erianthus were used in the study. Among the genus Saccharum were the species, S. officinarum L., S. barberi Jesw., S. sinense Roxb., S. spontaneum L., S. robustum Brandes and Jeswiet ex Grassl, cultivars, cultivar-derived mutants and interspecific hybrids between S. officinarum and S. spontaneum. Six fixed primers, designed from sucrose-and cold tolerance-related EST (expressed sequence tags) sequences, paired with three arbitrary primers, were used to characterize the germplasm. Both the cluster and principal coordinate (PCoA) analyses placed the Erianthus spp. and Miscanthus spp. genotypes distinctly from each other and from the Saccharum species, thus, supporting their taxonomic classification as separate genera. Genotypes of the low sucrose and cold tolerant species, S. spontaneum, formed one distinct group, while the rest of the Saccharum species formed one interrelated cluster with no distinct subgroups. Sequence analysis of TRAP bands derived from a S. spontaneum genotype revealed homology with known gene sequences from other grass species including Sorghum. A BLASTn search using the homologous sequences from Sorghum matched with the S. officinarum GenBank accession from which the fixed TRAP primer was designed. These results ratify TRAP as a potentially useful marker technique for genetic diversity studies in sugarcane.

The consumption of bioethanol as biofule may reduce greenhouse gases, gasoline imports. Also it can be replaced with lead or MTBE (Methyl tert-butyl ether) that are air and underground water pollutants, respectively. Plants are the best choice for meeting the projected bioethanol demands. For this scope, a comparative analysis of the technological options using different feedstocks should be performed. Our research and other studies indicate that sweet sorghum can be used as a feedstock for ethanol production under hot and dry climatic conditions. Because, it has higher tolerance to salt and drought comparing to sugarcane and corn that are currently used for biofuel production in the world. In addition, high carbohydrates content of sweet sorghum stalk are similar to sugarcane but its water and fertilizer requirements are much lower than sugarcane. Also, sugarcane is not a salt tolerant plant. On the other hand, high fermentable sugar content in sweet sorghum stalk makes it to be more suitable for fermentation to ethanol. Therefore, it is suggested to plant sweet sorghum for biofule production in hot and dry countries to solve problems such as increasing the octane of gasoline and to reduce greenhouse gases and gasoline imports.

Field studies were conducted to determine the effects of three seed rates (50, 60 & 75 kg ha-1) and three rows spacing (15, 30 & 45 cm) on fodder yield of sorghum under rainfed conditions. Days to 50% flowering, was not markedly affected in seed rate x row spacing interaction, while rest of the parameters had significant effects. There were no significant differences in year x seed rate x row spacing interaction for all the characters studied indicating a small effect of the years on relative productivity. Yield was significantly decreased with decreasing seed rate and increasing row spacing. On an average, the greatest fodder yield (77.95 t ha-1) was recorded 75 kg ha-1 (highest) seed rate and narrow (15 cm) spacing, while the lowest green fodder yield (12.39 t ha-1) obtained by the lowest seed rate (50 kg ha-1) and highest row spacing (45 cm).

The study relates village seed systems to biological diversity of millet crops grown by farmers in the semi-arid lands of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, India. In these subsistence-oriented, semi-arid production systems the environment is marginal for crop growth and often there is no substitute for millet crops. Across communities, farmers grow 13 different combinations of pearl millet, sorghum, finger millet, little millet, and foxtail millet varieties, but individual farmers grow an average of only 2–3 millet varieties per season. The “village seed system” in this study refers to all channels through which farmers acquire genetic materials, separate from or in interaction with the commercial seed industry, observed at the local level. Data are compiled through household surveys and interviews with traders and dealers in village and district markets. Based on the concept of the seed lot, several seed system parameters are defined and measured by millet crop. Most seed transactions, including gifts of seed, appear to be monetized. Seed supply channels differ by improvement status of the genetic material. Regression results confirm that seed system parameters are statistically significant determinants of the spatial diversity of millet crops measured at the village level. Furthermore, both the trade through weekly village markets (shandies) and through the formal seed supply channel contribute positively to the breadth of genetic materials in these communities. Ways should be found to strengthen and improve the overall efficiency of the seed system, including both formal and informal channels, in order to reduce the costs to farmers of procuring and managing diverse crop varieties.

... Review Designing sorghum as a dedicated bioenergy feedstock William L. Rooney, Texas A&amp;M University, USA Jürg Blumenthal, Texas A&amp;M University, USA Brent Bean, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, USA John E. Mullet, Texas A&amp;M University, USA ... WL Rooney et al. ...

The effects of reconstitution of sorghums on dry matter, energy, pro tein and amino acid digestibilities, and the nature of protein binding by sorghum tan nins during digestion were investigated. Grains from a high and a low tannin sorghum were reconstituted by adding ...

The experiment involved different dates. The experiment was carried out in the rainy
season of 2014 to study the effects of different planting dates of sorghum on shoot flies
and stem borers.
The planting dates were 31st July, 7th, 14th and 21st August. Data were taken during the
growth of the crop and also at harvest in order to have a meaningful result and assessment
of the experiment. After the experiment, data collected were subjected to Analysis Of
Variance (ANOVA) using IBM SPSS.
It was found that the first and second planting dates performed better than the two later
dates. Crops planted in the last two dates were seriously affected by insects.
Yield of threshed grains were far higher in first and second planting dates than the third
and fourth planting dates.

Sorghum is a wonder crop from physiological point of view. It is the most important cereal crop, after rice and wheat. The number of reports describing the use of transgenic Sorghum for basic studies in Biotechnology is still limited when compared to other crops. In one hand, the success of the transformation techniques is mainly dependent upon the availability of optimal protocols for highly efficient tissue culture techniques. On the other hand, regeneration in Sorghum is difficult. Hence, in this study an efficient and reproducible method for in vitro development of embryogenic callus and regeneration in Sorghum bicolor was developed. Immature embryo explants of Sorghum bicolor were cultured on MS nutrient medium supplemented with different concentrations and combinations of auxins and cytokinins. Embryogenic callus was initiated on MS medium supplemented with 2 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 0.5 mg/l Kinetin (KN). Addition of KN to MS medium containing 2,4-D resulted in a significant enhancement on embryogenesis of the embryos. Amino acids also supported an improved frequency of embryogenesis. Therefore induction of a high frequency of somatic embryogenesis in immature embryos on MS medium is possible. Development of embryogenic callus, induction of somatic embryo and subsequent shoot regeneration was proficient at a concentration of 2 mg/l BAP. The regenerated shoots readily rooted on half strength MS medium supplemented with 1 mg/l naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). The regenerated plantlets were successfully transferred to soil and subsequently plants produced seeds. There was no difference between the acclimatized plants in comparison with in vivo plants in the respect of morphological characters

The effect of compositing red non-tannin sorghum with cream-coloured cowpea and porridge preparation on phenolic profile and radical scavenging activity was studied. A maize-soybean composite porridge representing a similar product on the South African market was used as reference sample. UPLC-QToF-MS-ESI was used to determine phenolic composition of the grain flours, their composites and porridges. Total phenolic content was determined using Folin-Ciocalteu method while radical scavenging activity was determined using the ABTS, DPPH and NO radical scavenging assays. Four benzoic acid derivatives and five cinnamic acid derivatives were identified in the samples. The predominant flavonoid subclasses identified in sorghum were flavan-3-ols, flavanones and flavones while cowpea had mainly flavan-3-ols and flavonols with soybean having mainly isoflavones. Compositing the cereals with legumes significantly (p&lt;0.01) increased their total flavonoid content and radical scavenging activit...

Linamarin is the main cyanogenic glucoside of cassava. De novo synthesis of linamarin in cassava roots was demonstrated in vivo by feeding [14C]valine to excited segments of phelloderm. In vitro, a microsomal enzyme system isolated from cassava roots was shown to catalyse the conversion of valine to acetone cyanohydrin, the aglucone of linamarin. An antibody raised against cytochrome P450TYR, the

The screening of 50 sorghum varieties showed that, on average, germination did not affect the content in total phenolic compounds but decreased the content of proanthocyanidins, 3-deoxyanthocyanidins, and flavan-4-ols. Independent of germination, there are intervarietal differences in antioxidant activities among sorghum varieties. Phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities were more positively correlated in ungerminated varieties than in germinated ones. Sorghum grains with pigmented testa layer, chestnut color glumes, and red plants had higher contents, larger diversity of phenolic compounds, and higher antioxidant activities than other sorghums. Some red sorghum varieties had higher antioxidant activities (30-80 mumol of Trolox equiv/g) than several sources of natural antioxidants from plant foods. Among varieties used for &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;to&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;, &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;dolo&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;, couscous, and porridge preparation, the &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;dolo&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;(local beer) varieties had the highest average content and diversity in phenolic compounds as well as the highest antioxidant activities. The biochemical markers determined are useful indicators for the selection of sorghum varieties for food and agronomic properties.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Chopart JL, Sine B, Dao A, Muller B 2008. Root orientation of four sorghum cultivars: application to estimate root length density from root counts in soil profiles. Plant Root 2: 67-75. doi:10.3117/plantroot.2.67 Copyrights 2008, Plant Root (JSRR), www.plantroot.org O Or ri ig gi in na al l r re es se ea ar rc ch h a ar rt ti ic cl le e Abstract:

This work had the dual objective of selecting a substrate for rapid mycelial growth of Scytalidium thermophilum and then comparing the growth and production of a brown variety of Agaricus bisporus on substrate non-colonized and colonized with S. thermophilum. Mycelial growth of S. thermophilum at 45°C was significantly greater on potato dextrose yeast extract agar (0.58 mm/h) as compared to malt extract glucose agar (0.24 mm/h) and yeast extract glucose agar (0.44 mm/h). On cereal grain, S. thermophilum grew significantly faster on rice (0.31 mm/h) compared to sorghum (0.22 mm/h) and millet (0.18 mm/h). It also grew faster on Pangola grass (0.49 mm/h) compared to corncobs (0.30 mm/h) and sawdust (0.18 mm/h). Colonization of Pangola grass with S. thermophilum was influenced by the addition of calcium salts in the form of gypsum, hydrated lime and ground limestone. For production of A. bisporus, biological efficiency (BE) on pasteurized Pangola grass pre-colonized by S. thermophilum for 4 days at 45°C was more than twice (26.4%) that on grass noncolonized by S. thermophilum (11.0%). The addition of 2% hydrated lime to Pangola grass prior to colonization by S. thermophilum resulted in an additional doubling of BE of mushroom production (48.1%). These results show the possibility of developing a non-composted substrate method for producing A. bisporus without autoclaving the substrate.

ABSTRACT
The researchers attempted to make an investigation into the procedures involved in processing sorghum into gruel and the nutritional value of consuming sorghum gruel. This was done to the best of their ability by the use of questionnaires which were distributed randomly in Sabon gari area. Simple percentages were used to analyze the data. The findings made by the researchers revealed that Sorghum gruel is very nutritious and has more nutritional value than many canned drinks. The researchers also found that many people were unaware of the procedures of making Kunu and its nutritional benefits, thus the importance of the research.

The current status and trends of salinization in Central Asia are discussed with waterlogging of marginal land/plant and water resources problems. The discussion here includes strategies for development of integrated biosaline crop-livestock based system on food-feed crops and forage legumes for better livelihood of poor farmers. Transfer of technologies and/or methodology of ICBA in planting of both perennial and annual valuable halophytes are a new approach that should be tested in Central Asia. Yield data of new varieties of sorghum and pearl millet ICBA/ICRISAT germplasm indicates considerable adaptability of introduced genetic material to saline soil conditions.

The yeasts are microorganisms with great potential for biotechnological applications in diverse areas. The biological control of phytopathogens by yeasts has showed satisfactory results under laboratory conditions, and it has already produced commercial formulations. With this as focus, this work aims to perform in vitro and in vivo evaluations of the action of a Torulaspora globosa yeast strain (1S112), isolated from sugarcane rhizosphere, against the phytopathogenic mold Colletotrichum sublineolum, the causative agent of anthracnose in sorghum. In vitro experiments included the antagonism test in Petri dishes with morphological hyphal evaluation; yeast killer activity; siderophore, volatile compound and hydrolytic enzyme production. In vivo experiments were conducted in greenhouse conditions with a sorghum variety susceptible to C. sublineolum by evaluating the anthracnose disease for 6 weeks. The results indicated that the yeast strain significantly controlled the fungal growth, either in vitro or in vivo. The strain of T. globosa exhibited killer activity against two sensitive strains, which is a novel capacity for this species. The yeast did not produce siderophores, volatile compounds or hydrolytic enzymes, although it has reduced the mycelial growth, resulting in hyphal deformities but not cell death. The yeast controlled the anthracnose disease in sorghum, either inoculated before or after the fungal spores, suggesting that the competition for space and nutrients to dominate the mold and killer toxin production, altering the hyphal morphology, are mechanisms utilized by the yeast in the biocontrol.

Throughout Africa, per capita food production has been declining since the early 1960s. Cameroon has sought to counter this trend by increasing agricultural productivity through research and extension. In order to establish future investment priorities, policy makers need to know if past agricultural research investments have earned sufficient returns to justify continued funding. Further, national experiences need to be compared

Origin, History, Morphology, Production, Improvement, and Utilization of Broomcorn [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] in Serbia. Broomcorn in South Eastern Europe (SEE) is part of an important niche market of natural, renewable brooms made from the panicles of sorghum. This article is a summary of almost 60 years of experiences concerning broomcorn research, development, and production in SEE, and more specifically in Serbia. The botanical classification, origin, history, morphology, production, cultivar choice, certified seed, improvement, and utilization of broomcorn are discussed. Its improvement through breeding and production research includes various panicle quality traits, like optimization of fiber length, improving fiber fineness and appearance, elimination of undesirable red discoloration, and adapting the crop to mechanical harvest. Broomcorn could become a suitable feed, energy, or fiber crop if improvements in seed quality, as well as stalk biomass, juiciness, and sweetness are undertaken. Broomcorns will continue to play an important role in Serbian agriculture and work will continue to breed for improvements of the crop to benefit broomcorn farmers throughout Europe and the world.

Wild and tissue cultured plants of Portulaca grandiflora Hook. have shown to be able to decolorize a sulfonated diazo dye Navy Blue HE2R (NBHE2R) up to 98% in 40 h. A significant induction in the activities of lignin peroxidase, tyrosinase and DCIP reductase was observed in the roots during dye decolorization. The wild plants and tissue cultures could independently decolorize and degrade NBHE2R into metabolites viz. N-benzylacetamide and 6-diazenyl-4-hydroxynaphthalene-2-sulfonic acid. A dye mixture and a textile effluent were also decolorized efficiently by P. grandiflora. The phytotoxicity study revealed reduction in the toxicity due to metabolites formed after dye degradation.

Witchweeds ( Striga spp.) and broomrapes ( Orobanche and Phelipanche spp.) are the two most devastating root parasitic plants belonging to the family Orobanchaceae and are causing enormous crop losses throughout the world. Seeds of these root parasites will not germinate unless they are exposed to chemical stimuli, 'germination stimulants' produced by and released from plant roots. Most of the germination stimulants identifi ed so far are strigolactones (SLs), which also function as host recognition signals for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and a novel class of plant hormones inhibiting shoot branching. In this review, we focus on SLs as germination stimulants for root parasitic plants. In addition, we discuss how quantitative and qualitative differences in SL exudation among sorghum cultivars infl uence their susceptibility to Striga .