Other lines include chinch bug resistance and non-flowering types. University of Florida led team will participate in a five year, $125 … 611, 55 pp. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Active sweet sorghum breeding programs are under way in several states. Charlotte Niemiec is OFI’s editorial assistant The companies intend to work together to support the introduction of sweet sorghum as a source of fermentable sugars at Brazil’s 400 or more ethanol mills. Sweet sorghum packs punch for Arizona’s biofuels industry Known as the sugarcane of the desert, sweet sorghum could be a sustainable and ecological future biofuel crop for Arizona. Sweet sorghum could be grown on about half of this land. How will we fuel the future? The stalk and seed are used directly for biomass energy and their high sugar content allows them to be fermented to make ethanol. Dale is resistant to most diseases. With less need for nitrogen fertilizer and its incredibly drought-tolerant nature, it is a much more affordable and viable … Considering the energy challenges we face in the United States, the research Slack and his team are doing is of interest to a great many people and organizations, from private industry all the way up to the federal government. Fortunately, sorghum plants can often compensate for low plant stands by producing several tillers per plant. In addition, sweet sorghum has a °Brix or estimated fermentable sugar of 9 percent, and as the fermentable sugar of sweet sorghum increases, wherein studies show results higher than the estimated 9 percent, the more viable the ethanol’s country production using sweet sorghum becomes. Four important varieties from that station are Theis, Keller, Dale, and M81E. International Year of Planet Ea rth, 5–9 October 2008, Houston, Texas. By BETSY BLANEY, Associated Press Writer. Switchgrass and sweet sorghum fertilization for bioenergy feedstocks. Sweet sorghum, a plant that grows to a height of 8 to 12 … Sweet sorghum is an excellent source for the production of biofuel and green energy. For this project, both high-biomass sorghum and sweet sorghum will be tested in the US, while high-biomass sorghum and bmr sorghum will be grown in India. Sweet Sorghum biofuel research at OSU seeks to offer economically viable options January 1, 2013 | Meghan Sapp In Oklahoma, Danielle Bellmer, an associate professor at Oklahoma State University, has received funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, United Sorghum Checkoff Program, Oklahoma Bioenergy Center and the South Central Sun Grant Program to develop biofuels from sweet sorghum. The production of sweet sorghum biofuel is quite gentle on the environment. Biofuel. Sugar in the stalk is not the primary focus. Unless a harvesting machine is developed to squeeze juice on-the-go and re-deposit stalks and leaves in the field, a significant amount of P and K will be removed in the biomass. Sweet Sorghum for Biofuel Production in Louisiana The federal mandate for energy security through the development of sustainable biofuels has revived interest in sweet sorghum as a renewable energy … Missouri pest management guide: corn, grain sorghum, soybean, and winter wheat. This work is supported by New Technologies for Agriculture Extension grant no. Sugar contents in sweet sorghum tend to be highest in years with low rainfall and sunny days late in the season. International Year of Planet Ea rth, 5–9 October 2008, Houston, Texas. “I love working with graduate students. Paper presented at the 2008 Joint Annual Meeting, Celebrating the . Sweet sorghum could be grown on about half of this land. Most of sweet sorghum models for biofuel production use either gasification or fermentation to process plant material into biofuel. Ideally, each sweet sorghum farm would have its own processing facility. Sorghum biomass is burned by fast pyrolysis to produce syngas, bio-oil, and charcoal. Through the research in Slack’s lab, he and his graduate students are finding better ways to grow the plants and optimize their production of juice, which is then fermented into ethanol. In favorable environments, sweet sorghum … Under favorable growing conditions, sorghum can produce high biomass yields with low rates of nitrogen fertilizer. Sweet sorghum is similar to grain sorghum but with sugar-rich stalks and the ability to use water efficiently. 611. “Sweet sorghum is supposed to be a drought-tolerant crop. Ilse Rojas, a Ph.D. student from Chile, is doing her dissertation research on how to get more return from the plant. Besides having rapid growth, high sugar accumulation, and biomass production potential, sweet sorghum has wide adaptability (Reddy and Sanjana 2003). Sweet … Now researchers at the University of Missouri Delta Research Center are studying ways to boost the plant’s potential to brew not booze, but biofuel. Milling tests were conducted on both energycane and sweet sorghum at the LSU AgCenter… Thus, with a higher fermentable sugar of as much as 15 percent, with a Php/TC of 700, the projected … Fungicide seed treatments can be used to reduce seedling disease infestation. This includes “cultural, mechanical, biological or chemical options” (Bradley et al., 2009). Indo-US Biofuels Research Project - The second generation biofuels consortium will focus on development of sustainable, advanced lignocellulosic biofuel systems. Producing ethanol from sweet sorghum uses about two thirds the amount of water of corn and one seventh the … One challenge is that, upon harvest, sugars rapidly degrade. In test plots in Missouri, atrazine and metolachor gave good grass and broadleaf weed control. Although sweet sorghum is primarily grown to produce sorghum syrup, it can also be used as a feedstock for biofuel. Aug 11, 2008. The project is a collaboration between the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Engineering. The report includes region-wise market size for the period 2015-2026. In this regard, the concept of super sweet sorghum ideotypes is proposed to stimulate discussion on how to combine the various biofuel syndromes to design the genomes of sweet sorghum hybrids for the various climatic zones. E-Mail; Print Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a C4 crop in the grass family, and is characterized by a high photosynthetic efficiency. Before planting, sweet sorghum seed was treated with fluxofenin herbicide seed safener to minimize crop injury. With less need for nitrogen fertilizer and its incredibly drought-tolerant nature, it is a much more affordable and viable option than corn for fuel production. It is a multipurpose crop, yielding food in the form of grain and fuel in … http://www.agbioworks.org/regional.cfm. The need to immediately squeeze the juice out creates logistical challenges in harvesting and transporting stalks for sugar extraction and conversion. Sorghum seed head. Sweet sorghum is any of the many varieties of sorghum which have a high sugar content. “The land grant university has three very specific, important missions: education, research and extension. Bioethanol. (http://extension.missouri.edu/seregion/Crop_Budgets_PDF&Excell/Grain_Sorghum.pdf). Sweet sorghum is similar to grain sorghum but with sugar-rich stalks and the ability to use water efficiently. Biofuels Home. Most sweet sorghum varieties planted in the United States today were developed at the U.S. Sugar Crops Field Station at Meridian, Mississippi. To optimize ethanol yield, a juice extraction rate of at least 50% from the stalks is needed. The diversion of crop land for cultivation of sweet sorghum does not … Global Biofuels Ltd. (RC 679588), is implementing a project to convert the juice from the stalk of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench) to ethanol. That isn’t happening yet in the United States, which is more attached to corn, but the federal energy and agriculture … However, this crop may someday have another use in the Commonwealth — as a bioenergy crop. It’s a favorite part of what I do.”, 1177 E. 4th Street, Shantz Building, Room 403, Tucson, AZ, USA 85721-0038 Several equipment companies are testing sweet sorghum harvester prototypes. Sorghum biomass is burned by fast pyrolysis to produce syngas, bio-oil, and charcoal. Stalks of sweet sorghum contain fermentable sugars in the sap equal to 400-600 gallons of ethanol per acre. Rojas’s work is focusing on converting that material, called bagasse, into sugars that can then be fermented into ethanol. When it comes to discussing the potential of sweet sorghum in the biofuels production process, we share in the excitement. Various review works based on the … The vinasse, which is a mixture of dead yeast and plant material after fermentation, can be composted and sold for fertilizer. A group of researchers led by Purdue University scientists believes sweet and biomass sorghum would meet the need for next-generation biofuels to … This reduces flexibility and can increase transportation costs. 1986. Southern Plant Nutrition Management Conf. Nebraska. The seed heads on sweet sorghum are located on the top of the stalks. Seeds are small, … Stalks of sweet sorghum contain fermentable sugars in the sap equal to 400-600 gallons of ethanol per acre. Being a water-use efficient crop, sweet sorghum … Sweet sorghum is a "smart" crop, providing grain for human consumption, stover for fodder and juicy stalks for use in biofuel production. Xie Fenzhou, Sugar accumulation law in stem Juice of sweet sorghum, Liaoning Agricultural Science .1989.5 4.2. Advantages of sweet sorghum for biofuel production 1. Furthermore, cultivating sweet sorghum in dryland conditions does not compromise the food or feed security as farmers could continue to use grain for food or feed and stalk juice for renewable biofuels production. With an aim to bring sweet sorghum back into mainstream biofuel production, ICRISAT and partners have developed a project, Commercialization of sweet sorghum as a complimentary feedstock for ethanol production in the sugar mills of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. The same diseases that affect grain sorghum also attack sweet sorghum. Sweet sorghum is the same species (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) as grain sorghum. 2009. Bitzer, M. 2009. Here in the Sonoran Desert, researchers in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are looking into bio-fuel crops that can be grown in arid areas. However, large-scale planting on … The United States, the world’s largest sorghum producer, is organizing a conference this year on using sorghum as biofuel. As a leading public research university, the University of Arizona is working hard to answer this question through pioneering research in alternative fuels. for heat in buildings or to produce electricity. The study found that sweet sorghum is comparable if not better than sugarcane for ethanol production. “This project is a pilot project,” he says, “which means that we move it beyond the laboratory into the field.” They are looking at how their methods scale to the field to see if they represent viable ways of growing bio-fuel and bio-energy crops in the bright, dry environment of Southern Arizona. Most of the sweet … The seeds can be used for food and/or … Handbook No. The study was concluded prior to the enactment into law of the Biofuels Act (RA 9637) which requires vehicle manufacturers and owners as well as oil companies to use fuels diluted with sugar or starch-derived alcohol to reduce the country's dependence on imported fuel and promote cleaner air. 2009. “But it’s a much more drought tolerant, heat tolerant plant.”. Global View of Biofuel Butanol and Economics of Its Production by Fermentation from Sweet Sorghum Bagasse, Food Waste, and Yellow Top Presscake: Application of Novel Technologies . Although there are major obstacles in terms of yield and production of biofuel from sweet sorghum, with time it may possibly replace the huge share of the fossil fuels’ requirement to meet the rising energy demand. Abstract. Ethanol Production from the Stem Juice of Different Sweet Sorghum Cultivars in the State of Pernambuco, Northeast of Brazil E. Dutra, A. G. B. Neto, R. B. Souza, M. A. M. Morais Júnior, J. N. … Sweet sorghum could become leading bioethanol feedstocks. The successful production of sweet sorghum in South Africa is restricted due to a lack of sustainable production systems. Soils were deep with medium … Isaac Hedges called it the “Northern Sugar Plant” because of the high sugar content in the stalks. Tania Martinez-Cruz, a graduate student from Mexico, is looking at different varieties of sweet sorghum and how they grow. Westbrook. 38-45 Proc. Courtesy of University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. The crop is highly adaptable to wide range of climatic conditions including drought and salinity. To estimate sugar content in juice, use a refractometer to make Brix (%) measurements. “We need to have chemical engineers who understand how the materials can be refined into a product, and we need agricultural engineers who can work with machinery to extract the juices and process the materials.”. The crop is particularly suitable for growing in dryland conditions, as it only extracts one-seventh of the water used by sugarcane. Sweet sorghum diseases are best controlled by rotating fields with non-grass crops such as soybean and by planting disease-resistant sweet sorghum varieties. The super sweet sorghum aims to produce high biomass, higher yields, and stem soluble sugars, under marginal land. Sorghum is a multipurpose crop and can be used for food, feed, fuel and fodder. Corn also requires a fair amount of water. “Sweet sorghum” is a special-purpose sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) with a sugar-rich stalk similar to sugarcane. In Texas, sorghum varieties are being bred to produce high biomass yields (Juerg et al., 2009). ASA-CSSA-SSSA. Photo: Dennis Pennington, Bioenergy Educator. Published by Battelle Technology Partnership Practice. Sweet sorghum is an excellent source for the production of biofuel and green energy. DA-BAR’s director, William Medrano, says the use of sorghum as a biofuel fits with the Philippine government’s current energy conservation efforts, which involve the development and use of biologically derived alternatives to expensive oil imports. Wednesday, May 14, 2008. Memphis Bioworks Foundation and BioDimensions. production methods, and the land cover prior to sweet sorghum cultivation (Ko¨ppen et al., 2009). The Sorghum Checkoff is committed to meeting the needs of sorghum growers and ethanol producers. The United States, the world’s largest sorghum producer, is organizing a conference this year on using sorghum as biofuel. Regional strategy for biobased products in the Mississippi Delta. Some recent reports have raised concerns that the cultivation of certain biofuel … The United States, the world’s largest sorghum producer, is organizing a conference this year on using sorghum as biofuel. For the biofuels industry, sweet sorghum offers compelling options – if the hybrids work eco - nomically and the adoption is there. To utilize the bagasse for feeding, cattle should be in the vicinity. Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is primarily grown in Kentucky for its syrup. Photo: Dennis Pennington, Bioenergy Educator. Sweet sorghum is also more water-efficient: sugarcane consumes two and a half units of water to produce one unit of ethanol, whereas sweet sorghum produces one unit of ethanol from one unit of water. In Texas, sorghum varieties are being bred to produce high biomass yields (Juerg et al., 2009). Energy sorghum is specifically bred for high lignocellulosic biomass that can be converted to biofuels, whereas sweet sorghum, also known as sweet stalk sorghum, refers specifically to genotypes that accumulate soluble sugars in the stalk . “Sweet sorghum is supposed to be a drought-tolerant crop. be-info@email.arizona.edu In particular, biomass type hybrid GN-10 achieved the highest biomass (17.4 t ha-1) and theoretical ethanol yields (5,423 L ha-1) after averaging data for all environmental sites. The development of alternative forms of biofuels … Theis is resistant to both red stalk rot and MDM. Drying fuel and electricity can be deleted from the budget. Sweet sorghum may grow up to twenty feet tall and produce significantly higher biomass yields compared to grain sorghum. The energy gain from sweet sorghum is substantially more than the energy used in production. Juerg, B., W. Thompson, W. Rooney, and B. Bean. Obviously, the higher the sugar content in the stalks, the higher the potential ethanol yield. Biomass type sorghum was superior to sweet type as non-food ethanol feedstock. 2009. National Sweet Sorghum Producers and Processors Association. Sweet sorghum as a biofuel crop has many attractive features that make it an excellent source of renewable energy. Sweet sorghum can be grown in many regions of the United States. Integrated pest management (IPM) practices should be used to control insects in sweet sorghum. Sweet sorghum could … Soil temperatures should be above 65°F at planting to achieve good seed emergence. Usually in about 2.5 weeks, sugar content will increase to optimum levels before harvest. Sweet sorghum as a biofuel crop in . In this system, the synthetic gas and bio-oil are used for transportation fuel, and the charcoal is applied to fields to improve soil structure. Most of sweet sorghum models for biofuel production use either gasification or fermentation to process plant material into biofuel. Dr. Morris Bitzer calculated that corn has an energy efficiency of 1:1.8, while sweet sorghum has an efficiency of 1:8 (personal communication, 2009). Sweet sorghum was first introduced into the United States in 1852. This is about twice that from corn grain. Sweet sorghum is a promising target for biofuel production. Dale is a mid-season variety developed at the U.S. Sugar Crops Field Station. The San Carlos Apaches and the Yaqui tribes have expressed interest in growing sorghum. During World War II, when sugar was rationed, bootleggers used the juice of sweet sorghum to make moonshine. It is relatively drought tolerant, has a high forage and ethanol yield per acre, has relatively low cost of production, is adaptable to no-till, has a co-product called … 1177 E. 4th Street, Shantz Building, Room 403, Tucson, AZ, USA 85721-0038, Biosystems Analytics & Technology, MS & PhD, Don Slack, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Biosystems Engineering. Handheld light refractometers and battery-powered digital refractometers can be purchased. As the plant matures, carbohydrates are translocated from the stalks to the head to make starch in the seeds. Broadhead, N. Zummo, and F.E. Handbook No. Most sorghum syrup farmers remove seed heads using cutters mounted on high clearance spray equipment. Memphis, TN. Consult manufacturers to be sure they can be applied on sweet sorghum. sweet sorghum has shot into prominence because of its competitiveness as a … We want to know if we can use some lands that are not suitable for food production, using less water, but also guaranteeing some kind of energy for people here.”. This is about twice that from corn grain. Sweet sorghum is an efficient user of nitrogen fertilizer. Sweet sorghum, Jatropha, Pongamiaand sugar beet are among the underexploited crops for biofuel (ethanol and biodiesel) production. Sweet sorghum could be grown on about half of this land. “As a scientist, I am focusing on some very important problems to our world like food security, water security and also energy security,” says Martinez. 1-5 Nov. Pittsburgh, PA. Stevens, G., R. Holou, D. Dunn, and A. Wrather. When nitrogen response occurred, 60 pounds of N per acre were sufficient. In India and other places, sweet sorghum stalks are used for producing biofuel by squeezing the juice and then fermenting into ethanol. Biofuel Others The Sweet Sorghum Ethanol market is analysed and market size information is provided by regions (countries). Keller and M81E are resistant to red stalk rot (anthracnose) but are susceptible to maize dwarf virus (MDM). Jan 08, 2021 (The Expresswire) -- "Final Report will add the analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on this industry." Sweet sorghum as a biofuel crop in . Email: b.reddy@cgiar.org Introduction Agriculture and energy have always … To estimate input costs for sweet sorghum, begin with a crop budget for grain sorghum. Sorghum holds promise for American Indian farmers who have rights to a fairly significant amount of CAP (Central Arizona Project) water. To design a sustainable production system, apply enough fertilizer to offset crop removal or spread the bagasse and vinasse back on the field. Bio Fuels Revolution – Sweet Sorghum – The Smart Crop Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is frequently called as smart crop for its ability of not only produce food but fuel as well. Let's start with the basics. to other crops such as corn or sugarcane. U.S. Dept. Sweet sorghum. However, sweet sorghum seed and equipment costs will be higher than grain sorghum. Although sweet sorghum is primarily grown to produce sorghum syrup, it can also be used as a feedstock for biofuel. The bagasse can be used to feed livestock or pelletized to burn. 6-7 Oct. Olive Branch, MS. Tripp, S., R. Powell, and P. Nelson. Sweet Sorghum: A New Smart Biofuel Crop that Ensures Food Security : May 19, 2008 PATANCHERU, India : In these days of soaring food prices worldwide , imagine a crop that provides food, livestock feed and biofuel. It needs less fertilizer than corn, which results in less water contamination, says Ray Coniglio, a spokesman for Sebastian, Fla.-based Renewable Energy LLC, which has invested in the production of sweet sorghum … (Photo by Swathi Sridharan via Creative Commons) Countries such as India and Brazil are already ramping up sweet sorghum production to supplement sugar cane as an ethanol ingredient. As a result of the efforts of Congressman Raul Grijalva, the United States Department of Energy is also helping to fund the project. pp. Sweet sorghum: from booze to biofuel. A stand of sweet sorghum being tested for biofuel production in Mozambique. From 2007 to 2009, University of Kentucky researchers examined the feasibility of ethanol … Optimum planting rates vary by region and soils. This procedure will not be as important when hybrid varieties are grown that are male sterile or do not flower at all. Chinch bugs are usually worse in drought conditions, and worms cause the most damage in late-planted sorghum fields. “We’re here to educate students, and the byproduct of our educating students is the research,” he says. A study by Memphis Bioworks showed that sweet sorghum processing plants should be located no more than six miles from production fields in the Delta region (Tripp et al., 2009). For P and K recommendations, collect soil samples and send them to a soil laboratory. “Arizona is one of the places where we can grow sweet sorghum very efficiently, so the Department of Energy has funded this research for the past two years.”. Other … For gasification to be economically feasible, small-scale pyrolysis systems are needed. ST. GABRIEL, La. Sweet Sorghum for Biofuel Production ... NSSV 255 and RSSV 56 are the sweet sorghum cultures identified by the "All IndiaCoordinated sorghum improvement project at National level". The statement “all biomass is local” also applies to sweet sorghum feedstock. 2. This project integrates all three of those missions,” says Slack. Most labs request a forage yield estimate when soil samples are submitted to make crop removal calculations. However, sorghum is less cold tolerant than corn. In Missouri, following soybean the previous year, maximum sweet sorghum biomass yields were achieved in some fields with no nitrogen (Stevens, 2009). Technical challenges of using sweet sorghum for biofuels are a short harvest period for highest sugar content and fast sugar degradation during storage. 2009 International Annual Meetings. Sweet sorghum [SS; Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is a potential biofuel crop for the Great Plains. To maintain high sugar content in the stems, remove the seed heads “when the seed is in the late milk stage” (Bitzer, 2009). Sweet sorghum can be used the the production of biofuels in two ways. Most of the sweet sorghum research around the world is focused on traditional sugar fermentation by yeast from the juice. Management of biomass and sweet sorghum in the Southwest US. It is a C4 crop with low input requirements and accumulates high levels of sugars in its stalks. It is hoped that this will change in the near future. In favorable environments, sweet sorghum varieties can grow 14 feet tall and produce 20 to 50 tons of biomass (fresh weight) per acre. For sweet sorghum, you will probably reduce the nitrogen fertilizer and increase the potassium and phosphorus fertilizer relative to grain sorghum. Indian Institute of Millet Research to Use Sweet Sorghum to Boost Ethanol Production (New Indian Express) Sweet sorghum is a variety of sorghum or jowar/jonna, which has high sugar levels in its stalk … Height is also an issue; sweet sorghum can be blown down in strong winds. Sweet sorghum is also much more water-efficient than most biofuel crops. Yield of sweet sorghum varieties at Blairsville, Georgia, and Quicksand, Kentucky.1. Hybrid Madhura was developed by "Nimkar Agricultural Research Institute, Phaltan, Maharashtra". The syrup sweet sorghum (Figure 1), so it is the most suitable which needs storage for using during off season needs crop for ethanol production using for biofuel comparing to concentrate to minimum 65 brix (normally 85 brix). Sweet sorghum can be planted in marginal land areas in less developed countries and areas, particularly in Africa, to stimulate local economies; and the establishment of flexible biorefineries should allow exploitation of these multiple feedstocks and extend the projected environmental and economic benefits of biofuels. Nutrient crop removal for sweet sorghum is similar to forage sorghum. Sweet sorghum … It grows in dry conditions, tolerates heat, salt and waterlogging, and provides steady income for poor farmers. Dr. Bill Rooney at Texas A&M University has released female inbred lines with higher sugar content for use in the production of sweet sorghum hybrids. 2015-41595-24254 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Normally, the fibrous parts of the plant are discarded after juicing. Potential for Sweet sorghum as a biofuel. (520) 621-3691. Slack is also partnering with Pinal Energy of Maricopa Arizona, a 50-million-gallon-a-year ethanol plant. University of Missouri Extension M171. Sweet sorghum can be planted in marginal land areas in less developed countries and areas, particularly in Africa, to stimulate local economies; and the establishment of flexible biorefineries should allow exploitation of these multiple feedstocks and extend the projected environmental and economic benefits of biofuels. Studies in India have found that after juice extraction, sweet sorghum bagasse can form part of a nutritious animal feed, giving dryland farmers an additional source of fodder and income. SWEET SORGHUM FOR BIOFUEL INDUSTRY. Be sure to purchase a model that automatically compensates for temperature. Sweet sorghum as a biofuel crop: Where are we now? Sweet sorghum is a leading potential biofuel feedstock that can be produced in South African's water‐limiting conditions under marginal lands. 2009. In his eyes, offering a great educational experience is what gives rise to excellent research an innovation. Paper presented at the 2008 Joint Annual Meeting, Celebrating the . Researchers find sweet sorghum and sugarcane can cut biorefinery down time January 10, 2017 | Meghan Sapp In Illinois, today many biofuel refineries operate for only seven months each year, turning … The greatest challenge for large-scale production of sweet sorghum for biofuel is the lack of commercial harvesting equipment. The initiative is the product of research on sorghum … Dr. Mike Ackerson describes the process and benefits of making gasoline quality biofuel from sweet sorghum. Sorghum holds promise for … Latest potent biofuel made from Sweet sorghum sap. “Sweet Sorghum in some ways is similar to corn,” says Don Slack, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Biosystems Engineering. Sweet Sorghum Culture and Syrup Production. Such a combination of talents and areas of expertise is absolutely essential for the success of an effort of this scope and complexity. Table 1. 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