In New York state, a simple genetic modification can triple the grain number of sorghum, a drought-tolerant plant that is an important source of food, animal feed, and biofuel in many parts of the world. In new research reported in Nature Communications, scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have figured out how that genetic […]
In Illinois, grain sorghum appears to be increasingly popular as an ethanol feedstock, sidelining corn somewhat. A recent USDA’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Report showed corn demand for ethanol falling by 75 million bushels, making some experts predict that demand is being replaced by sorghum that is available even cheaper than corn in some […]
One of the trends we identified for 2013 – corn ethanol producers moving away from corn. Here’s one of the reasons why. Earlier this month, Chromatin announced it has generated the first crop of sorghum that has been grown and used for ethanol production by Pacific Ethanol, Inc. This achievement paves the way for future […]
In Indiana, an article regarding the Midwest’s capability for producing grain sorghum was published in the journal Biofuels, Bioproducts, & Biorefining by researchers from Purdue, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and the University of Illinois. The article argued that sorghum is more attractive to midwestern farmers for a number of reasons: the infrastructure and grain elevators […]
In Washington, the National Farmers Union supports the use of grain sorghum as a feedstock for biofuels; they have published a press release applauding the EPA for its report on data regarding the feedstock as applicable under the RFS. “This announcement by EPA is a step in the right direction,” NFU President Roger Johnson said in […]
In New York state, plant scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) and USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), in their search for solutions to global food production challenges, have doubled the amount of grains that a sorghum plant can yield. Sorghum, one of the world’s most important sources of food, animal feed, and biofuel, is […]
In South Africa, sorghum production may climb fivefold as the country plans to source all grain needed for biofuel production locally. “We need an additional volume of 620,000 tons of sorghum to produce enough bioethanol to meet the 2 percent inclusion rate,” Wessel Lemmer, a senior economist at Grain South Africa, said in an e-mail. […]
In Illinois, new research from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign demonstrates that near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and machine learning can provide quick, accurate, and cost-effective product analysis. In two studies, the researchers explore the use of NIR spectroscopy for analyzing characteristics of corn kernels and sorghum biomass. In the first study, the researchers created a global […]
In Japan, sorghum, an underrated ancient grain, is slowly becoming well known as a superfood due to its nutrient-dense and gluten-free nature. Sorghum syrup is widely used as a healthy alternative to molasses in the food industry, and this cereal is also used to make gluten-free flour. In addition, sorghum commonly serves as high-quality animal […]
In India, the Government of India’s concerted efforts to replace 20% fossil fuels with ethanol blends by 2025 is attracting agricultural entrepreneurs to invest in renewable energy. This week, Lalit Jhawar and Mayank Gupta, two young IIT graduates running a profitable farming venture in Maharashtra, accompanied by biofuel experts YB Ramakrishna and Divakar Rao, visited […]
