Ya Jin Sweet Sorghum

History of Research and Development of Sweet Sorghum in China

Advantages of Yajin Sweet Sorghum

Sweet Sorghum Overview

Strong Lodging Resistance and Adaptability

Usage and Prospects

Ideal Material for Ethanol Production

Main Varieties of Yajin Sweet Sorghum

History of Research and Development of Sweet Sorghum in China

In 1965, Professor Fan Jiahui, the chief expert at the Beijing SL Technological Development Center began to research sweet sorghum. In the 1970s, led by Professor Ji Fulan, some other experts also joined the research and development team.

In 1980, the team successfully cultivated four varieties of sweet sorghum. Sweet sorghum stalks are processed into livestock feed, wine, and molasses.

In 1994, the team had six varieties of sweet sorghum. Processing techniques, including feed, wine, molasses, and then ethanol, were promoted abroad. Led by Liu Peizhi, former vice minister of Ministry of Agriculture, the team strengthened research and development of sweet sorghum and achieved fruitful results.

In 2006, the team had eight improved varieties of sweet sorghum. Development and promotion of industrial equipment and techniques were enhanced, and the sweet sorghum website^link? was launched. Since 1994, varieties have been sold to the following countries: United States, Canada, Brazil, Cuba, Italy, Germany, South Africa, Tanzania, Morocco, Egypt, Albania, Russia, Spain, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Mongolia, and Myanmar.

In 2007, team members crossbred sweet sorghum with Sudan grass? to produce a new strain with sugar brix of 18%. ^citation?

In 2008, the team crossbred sweet sorghum with sugarcane? to produce another new strain with high sugar content, crystallization capabilities, and strong lodging resistance.

Sweet Sorghum Overview

Sweet sorghum is a variant of common sorghum crops. Sweet sorghum features a taller stalk and higher content of juice and sugar. It is resistant to drought, water logging, saline alkali and barren land, and is mainly used for bioethanol, livestock feed, fertilizer and paper making. Stalk and grain yields can reach 5000kg and 250kg per mu, respectively. Its average height is 3-5m and the growth period is between 95 and 160 days. Wine production rate from stalks is between 8% and 10%, and 70% from grains. Per mu stalks can be processed into 470 liters ethanol and 400kg sugar.

Advantages of Yajin Sweet Sorghum:
* Drought resistant - will grow in dry land, desert, barren land and flood land
* Resistant to waterlogged soil - soaked in the flood for one week, sweet sorghum can quickly return to growth after flood
* Saline-alkali resistance - sweet sorghum is tolerant of salinity between 0.5% and 0.9%, higher than maize at 0.3%-0.7 %, wheat 0.3%-0.6%, and rice 0.3%-0.7%
* Wide Soil pH range - sweet sorghum will adapt well to soil pH of between 5.0 - 8.5
* Resistance to high temperature and cold weather - it can be cultivated from the northern to southern areas of China
* High sugar content - the stem is rich in sugar and juice brix is between 15% and 23%
* High yield - the height of sweet sorghum is 3 - 5m; stem yield ranges between 75 tons/ha to 168 tons/ha; grain yields range between 2.25-6 tons/ha; stem fiber content is of 14%-18%; fiber yield of 9-15 tons/ha

Strong Lodging Resistance and Adaptability

Sweet sorghum can be planted in barren hills, wasteland, floods, alkaline land, flood land, sand and degraded grassland without irrigation and weeding. It can be grown well under various climatic conditions at home and abroad, from north to south China, from America to Europe, from Asia to Australia and from Africa to the Middle East. Sweet sorghum has ecological, social, and economic benefits.

Usage and Prospects

Sweet sorghum is a better feed^citation? for lowering cost of livestock breeding, a good source of biomass energy to ease international energy pressures, and a substitute for international sugar needs:
* Good high-energy feed for cows, beef cattle, sheep, fish, and a substitute for corn, bean residue, and alfalfa
* Ethanol production and a substitute for corn and yams
* Pure sorghum liquor and a substitute for peas
* Sugar, gourmet powder, and vinegar, and a substitute for sugarcane
* Biomass for biofuels and a substitute for fossil fuels
* Fiber board and paper and a substitute for wood

Ideal Material for Ethanol Production

Sweet sorghum is a suitable material for first-generation ethanol production because of its low input costs, wide range of soil and climatic suitability, and reduced risk compared to many other crops.

Ethanol output comparison:
* Sweet sorghum - 6106 liters/hectare
* Sugarcane - 4700 liters/hectare
* Maize - 1883 liters/hectare
* Yam - 1790 liters/hectare

Main Varieties of Yajin Sweet Sorghum:
* Yajin-1: 133-day growth period in Beijing, 3 to 4 meters high, polysaccharide and succulent, stem juice content of 65%, ear length of 23cm, weight of 18.5g, the average sugar brix between 17% and 21% and tillering 3-4; stem juice rate of 67%, per-mu stalk yield of 5600kg and per-mu grain yield of 200kg; resistant to drought, water logging, saline-alkali and barren land; insect- and pest-resistant; can be planted in China's northeast, northwest and southern provinces and cities.
* Yajin-2: 155-day growth period in Beijing, 4 to 5 meters high, tight ear, ear length of 28cm, weight of 21g and grain weight of more than 60g; sugar brix between 18% and 23%, stem juice rate of 67%, per-mu grain yield of 350kg and per-mu stalk yield of 5000kg; insect- and pest-resistant; anti-anthrax, mildew and red stalk rot; can be planted in the most areas of China.
* Yajin-3: 134-day growth period in Beijing, 320 centimeters high, stem diameter of 2.1cm, polysaccharide and succulent, stem juice content of 65%, sugar brix of 18.6%; per-mu yield of 5454 kg and per-mu grain yield of 380kg; resistant to leaf disease, barren land, saline-alkali; can be planted in the most areas of China.
* Yajin-4: 138-day growth period in Beijing, tight ear, red shell and red grains, 340 centimeters high, stem diameter of 1.95cm, succulent and sugar brix of 21%, light leaf disease; per-mu stalk yield of 5300kg, per-mu grain yield of 400kg; can be planted in the most areas of China.
* Yajin-5: 140-day growth period in Beijing, 330cm high, stem diameter of 2.5cm, juice content of 65%, sugar brix between 16.2% to 18%; light ear, per-mu stalk yield between 4500kg and 5000kg, with the highest yield of 5600kg; per-mu grain yield between 130kg and 150kg; resistant to draught, water logging and saline-alkali; can be planted in the most areas of China.
* Yajin-6: Sweet sorghum crossbred with Sudan grass with the 118-day growth period; average height between 300cm and 360cm, loose ear, ear length of 27cm, succulent and sugar brix between 18% and 20%; resistant to lodging; can be planted in the areas with the short frost-free periods and coastal areas not subject to typhoons/hurricanes.
* Yajin-11: Sweet sorghum crossbred with the growth period between 128 and 135 days; purple seed, 3.26 meters high, stem diameter of 2.31cm, sugar brix between 17% and 23%, loose ear, ear length of 22.5cm, per-mu grain yield of 300kg with the weight of 18.3g and per-mu yield of 5600kg; resistant to leaf disease, insect- and pest-resistant; suitable for northeast and northern China.

Yajin sweet sorghum is supported by Beijing SL Technological Development Center and China International Development Company.

External links:

Beijing SL Technological Development Center

China Sweet Sorghum