菌/酶添加对甜高粱渣青贮预处理作用的强化效果

为实现生物质甜高粱渣的青贮强化预处理和能源化利用，该研究探究了不同添加剂对其青贮质量和酶解糖化效果的影响。试验设置对照组（CK组）、植物乳杆菌组（L组）、纤维复合酶组（E组）和复合添加剂组（LE组），系统考察甜高粱渣在21 d青贮预处理期间的营养成分、木质纤维组分和发酵品质的动态变化，采用隶属函数法评价青贮质量，利用高通量测序技术分析青贮预处理过程的微生物菌群动态演绎。结合酶解糖化性能评价青贮预处理作用的强化效果，从而筛选适宜的添加剂。结果表明：青贮预处理后甜高粱渣的粗蛋白、淀粉、中性洗涤纤维、酸性洗涤纤维、半纤维素和纤维素等能量组分含量显著高于原料（P<0.05）。青贮21 d时，3个添加剂组的干物质、可溶性碳水化合物和粗蛋白含量显著高于CK组（P<0.05），综纤维素含量显著低于CK组（P<0.05），且E组的干物质含量最高，L组的粗蛋白含量最高，E组和LE组的可溶性碳水化合物含量最高。青贮预处理期间，3个添加剂组的pH值均低于4.2,L组的乳酸和乙酸含量明显高于CK组（P<0.05）,E组的乳酸/乙酸和乳酸/总有机酸比值显著高于CK组（P<0.05）...     

瘤胃液对全株甜高粱青贮质量的影响

甜高粱是一种重要的能源作物,为实现长时间贮存并提升糖化效率,该研究分析了瘤胃液不同添加量对全株甜高粱青贮品质和酶解糖化效果的影响。设置R1、R3、R5和R7共4个瘤胃液处理组(添加量依序分别为1、3、5和7 mL/100 g原料)和1个对照组(CK,等量蒸馏水),考察了瘤胃液不同添加量对全株甜高粱青贮过程中有机组分、发酵品质和酶解性能等质量指标的动态影响,并跟踪解析青贮期间微生物菌群的动态演绎。结果表明,添加瘤胃液能明显减少青贮甜高粱中的干物质、水溶性碳水化合物、粗蛋白以及木质纤维组分含量,使青贮pH和氨氮含量显著下降(P0.05),并与瘤胃液添加量呈负相关。青贮中的乳酸、乙酸含量随瘤胃液添加量和青贮发酵时间延长而明显增加(P0.05),瘤胃液强化了青贮发酵并有助于减少干物质损失,尤其在较高添加量时,青贮60d时的甜高粱综纤维素含量反而有所增加。4种瘤胃液处理组的门水平优势细菌主要为厚壁菌和变形菌,厚壁菌相对丰度随时间延长和瘤胃液添加量的增加而逐渐增加,变形菌门丰度则逐渐下降;属水平主要以乳酸杆菌、泛菌和醋酸杆菌为主,乳酸杆菌丰度与时间、瘤胃液添加量呈正相关,而泛菌则呈减少趋势。瘤胃液强化青贮后的甜高粱还原糖得率显著提升,尤其瘤胃液添加量为7 mL/100 g的R7处理组的糖得率较原料分别提高了11.06%(30 d)和19.28%(60 d)。添加瘤胃液能有效改善青贮甜高粱的发酵质量和生物降解性能,起到生物强化的预处理作用,为甜高粱的乙醇化利用奠定了基础。     

Soil microbiological attributes under summer/winter crops rotation in a no-tillage system

Knowledge of the effect of a multiple combination of summer/winter crop rotation on the microbiological properties of soil would allow a more adequate response to its use. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the rotation of three summer crops (continuous soybean, continuous maize and soybean/maize rotation) in combination with seven winter crops (maize, sunflower, oilseed radish, millet, pigeon pea, sorghum and sunn hemp) on the microbiological properties of the soil. A soybean/maize (SM) rotation had a greater influence on microbial biomass than continuous maize (MM) and continuous soybean (SS). Urease and phosphatase activities were not affected by the crop rotation. Dehydrogenase activity was higher in continuous crops (MM and SS) than in SM, whereas respiratory activity was higher in SM than in continuous crops. For the SM rotation, the main variables selected by principal components analysis were microbial biomass C, N and P, respiratory and phosphatase activities, and microbial quotient. Pigeon pea, sorghum and sunn hemp had a greater effect on soil properties than the other winter crops. In general, the degree of influence of the summer and winter crops on the microbiological soil properties can be ranked as follows: SM > MM > SS, and millet > sorghum > sunn hemp > radish > pigeon pea > maize, respectively.     

Factors Impacting Ethanol Production from Grain Sorghum in the Dry-Grind Process

The goal of this research is to understand the key factors affecting ethanol production from grain sorghum. Seventy genotypes and elite hybrids with a range of chemical compositions and physical properties selected from ≈1,200 sorghum lines were evaluated for ethanol production and were used to study the relationships of composition, grain structure, and physical features that affect ethanol yield and fermentation efficiency. Variations of 22% in ethanol yield and 9% in fermentation efficiency were observed among the 70 sorghum samples. Genotypes with high and low conversion efficiencies were associated with attributes that may be manipulated to improve fermentation efficiency. Major characteristics of the elite sorghum genotypes for ethanol production by the dry-grind method include high starch content, rapid liquefaction, low viscosity during liquefaction, high fermentation speed, and high fermentation efficiency. Major factors adversely affecting the bioconversion process are tannin content, low protein digestibility, high mash viscosity, and an elevated concentration of amylose-lipid complex in the mash.     

玉米秸秆与废弃白菜的混合青贮品质及产沼气能力分析

为实现干玉米秸秆(dried maize straw,DMS)的长时间保质贮存,利用青贮原理将DMS与废弃白菜(cabbage waste,CW)连续混贮90 d,设置DMS单贮组和6个不同质量比例(DMS:CW=29:19、27:21、25:23、23:25、21:27和19:29)混贮组,间隔30 d分析其贮存品质,筛选适宜贮存条件,并考察秸秆贮存前后的微观结构变化和产沼气潜力。结果表明,与单贮组相比,6个混贮组的p H值均显著下降(P0.05),乳酸含量显著升高(P0.05),混贮品质优于单贮。6个混贮组贮存30 d时的p H值均为最低,乳酸含量最高,感官评价均为优级,30 d后p H值有所上升,乳酸含量急剧下降,60d时的木质素含量显著降低(P0.05),综纤维素含量显著升高(P0.05)。随着CW比例增加,混贮组p H值逐渐减小,乳酸含量逐渐增加,MEⅤ组(DMS:CW=21:27)p H值最低,乳酸含量最高,能使DMS连续贮存60 d不变质。扫描电镜结果显示,青贮发酵使干秸秆原先致密复杂的木质纤维结构开始瓦解,青贮秸秆表面有很多裂缝和孔洞,与微生物或酶的可接触面积增加。沼气发酵试验表明,MEⅤ组混贮秸秆的累积产气量略高于未贮存干秸秆,且累积甲烷产量提高了61.67%,是未贮存干秸秆的1.6倍。Modified Gompertz模型显示混贮秸秆的甲烷生成速率增加,产甲烷能力提高。总之,当DMS∶CW质量比为21∶27(含水率为73%)时DMS能连续保质贮存2月,且贮存后秸秆的甲烷产量明显提升。     

不同糖质原料和菌株固态发酵制取乙醇的特性比较

利用固态发酵技术直接将糖质原料转化为乙醇,过程简单且糖利用率高,已经成为近年来的一个研发热点。为寻求最适原料及菌种,该文对不同原料和菌株进行固态发酵产乙醇特性进行了比较研究:2种菌株为实验室自行筛选酵母菌株TSH和市场上常见的安琪酿酒酵母菌株AGL;3种糖料作物为甘蔗、甜菜和甜高粱。结果表明,无论对于TSH或者AGL,投入相同质量的原料,由于可发酵总糖初始含量的不同,最终乙醇产量最高为甜菜,甜高粱次之,甘蔗最低。为消除原料初始糖含量不同造成的影响,该文比较了消耗单位质量糖分所生成的乙醇质量,发现对于2种菌株甜高粱都具有最高的乙醇/糖转化率,说明甜高粱茎秆中糖分用于生成乙醇的比率较多,而用于维持酵母菌自身生长繁殖及副产物生成的糖分较少。比较2菌株的发酵能力,对于甜高粱TSH表现出较为明显的发酵优势:发酵周期比AGL缩短了近6h,且乙醇/糖转化率略高于AGL;而对于甘蔗和甜菜原料,TSH的乙醇产率与AGL相差不大;说明自行筛选的TSH菌种对多种糖料发酵底物具有广泛适用性,具有良好的工业应用前景。该文对利用糖质原料固态发酵生产燃料乙醇工艺的工业化实现及改进具有一定的借鉴意义。     

Ensiling properties of sweet sorghum

Abstract

Sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] cultivars have been bred for high sugar content; with accompanying adequate forage yield, the crop may offer potential for ensiling. “Wray”; sweet sorghum, a good sugar producer, was grown under field conditions to determine nutritional quality and subsequent animal performance of silage from the yield. In one experiment, “Wray”; was compared to “FS‐5”;, medium‐tall forage sorghum, at four reproductive stages of growth, in regard to agronomic characteristics and chemical composition. In another study, the “Wray”; sweet sorghum was harvested in early and late reproductive stages and stored in experimental silos. Ensiling losses were measured; in addition, the silages were offered to sheep to determine in vivo digestibility (IVODMD) and intake. In the first experiment, dry matter yields of both sweet and forage sorghum increased during the reproductive period, from 6.2 to 11.9 and 7.7 to 13.9 Mg/ha, respectively; at maturity, grain yields were 651 and 3,526 kg/ha, respectively. Total available carbohydrates tended to be higher in the forage type (23.4%) than in the sweet sorghum (19.9%). Average in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD) was similar for both sorghums at 60.2%, but sweet sorghum IVDMD tended to be higher than forage sorghum at the hard‐dough stage (61.4 versus 55.1%) . In the second experiment, intake was greater when lambs were offered hard‐dough stage silage (1,240 g/lamb/day) versus bloom‐stage silage (878 g/lamb/day), even though IVODMD was similar (average 60.6%) at both harvest stages. The silages appeared to be properly ensiled, as silage pH was less than 4.0; however, effluent and dry matter losses were greater with bloom‐stage silage. These differences probably were due to the slight dry matter differential between the two <22.3 and 26.6%, respectively). To maximize yield, sweet sorghum should be ensiled at the hard‐dough stage. Resulting silage may be higher in digestible dry matter than that of medium‐tall forage sorghums, which produce grain.     

Impact of Deficit Irrigation on Maize Physical and Chemical Properties and Ethanol Yield

The objective of this research was to study the effect of irrigation levels (five levels from 102 to 457 mm of water) on the physical and chemical properties and ethanol fermentation performance of maize. Twenty maize samples with two crop rotation systems, grain sorghum–maize and maize–maize, were harvested in 2011 and evaluated at the Kansas State University Southwest Research‐Extension Center near Garden City, Kansas, under a semiarid climate. Results showed that maize kernel weight, density, and breakage susceptibility decreased as irrigation level decreased. Starch contents of maize samples grown under a low irrigation level were approximately 3.0% lower than those under a high irrigation level. Protein contents ranged from 9.24 to 11.30% and increased as irrigation level decreased. Maize flour thermal and rheological properties were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry and the Micro Visco‐Amylo‐Graph‐U device. Starch gelatinization temperature increased significantly as irrigation level decreased, whereas starch pasting viscosity decreased as irrigation level decreased. Free amino nitrogen (FAN) was significantly affected by irrigation level: it increased as irrigation decreased. Ethanol fermentation efficiency ranged from 90.96 to 92.48% and was positively correlated with FAN during the first 32 h of fermentation (r² = 0.645). Deficit irrigation had a negative impact on ethanol yield. The maize with lower irrigation yielded about 4.0% less ethanol (44.14 mL/100 g of maize) than maize with high irrigation (45.92 mL/100 g of maize). Residual starch contents in the distillers dried grains with solubles were in a range of 0.80–1.02%. In conclusion, deficit irrigation had a significant effect on physical properties, chemical composition, ethanol yield, and fermentation efficiency of maize.     

Comparative effects of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation and phosphorus fertilization on growth and phosphorus uptake of maize (Zea mays L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) plants under drought-stressed conditions

Maize (Zea mays L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) Moench (local variety called Masakwat) plants were grown in a sterilized low-P soil in the greenhouse for 12 weeks. Each plant species was either mycorrhizal with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi, non-mycorrhizal but minimally fertilized with soluble P, or non-mycorrhizal but highly fertilized with soluble P. Drought stress was imposed after 4 weeks at weekly intervals. Under unstressed conditions, leaf area, shoot dry weights, xylem pressure, and soil water potentials were similar for VAM and the two non-mycorrhizal P-fertilized treatments but each of the VAM-infected species had a greater total root length. Total P uptake was similar for the maize treatments but higher for VAM than non-mycorrhizal P-fertilized sorghum treatments. Under drought-stressed conditions, the growth parameters and soil water potential were similar for all maize treatments but they were reduced by mycorrhizal inoculation in sorghum. Greater water extraction occurred in drought-stressed mycorrhizal sorghum. In both plant species, total P uptake and P uptake per unit root length (including unstressed species) were significantly enhanced in non-mycorrhizal P-fertilized treatments compared with the mycorrhizal treatment. Except for the root dry weight of sorghum plants, there were no differences in the growth parameters and P uptake between minimally and highly P-fertilized non-mycorrhizal treatments for either maize or sorghum. The increased total root length in drought-stressed mycorrhizal sorghum plants and the similar infected root lengths in unstressed and drought-stressed sorghum plants may have caused high C partitioning to drought-stressed mycorrhizal roots and therefore caused the reduced growth parameters in mycorrhizal plants compared to the non-mycorrhizal P-fertilized counterparts. The results indicate that P fertilization in addition to mycorrhizal inoculation may improve the drought tolerance of maize and sorghum plants.     

Effect of Sorghum Decortication and Use of Protease Before Liquefaction with Thermoresistant α‐Amylase on Efficiency of Bioethanol Production

The aim was to study the dual effect of sorghum decortication and protease treatment before liquefaction with α‐amylase on the performance of subsequent steps of saccharification and fermentation. A bifactorial experiment with a level of confidence of P < 0.05 was designed to study differences among grains (maize, whole, and decorticated sorghum) and the effectiveness of the protease before liquefaction. Sorghum was decorticated to remove most of the pericarp and part of the germ and increase starch concentration of the feedstock. The decorticated sorghum had significantly higher starch hydrolysis during liquefaction compared with the whole kernel. These hydrolyzates contained ≈50% more reducing sugars than the untreated counterparts. At the end of saccharification, the final glucose concentration in hydrolyzates treated without protease was the highest for maize (180 mg/mL), followed by decorticated sorghum (165 mg/mL), and whole sorghum (145 mg/mL). Decortication and protease treatment had a significant effect on fermentation times. In decorticated sorghum mash treated with and without protease, fermentation times were 22 and 60 hr, respectively. The decorticated sorghum treated with protease yielded similar amounts of ethanol compared with maize and 44% more ethanol compared with the untreated whole sorghum. Both sorghum decortication and protease treatments before hydrolysis with α‐amylase are recommended to increase ethanol yields, lower yields of distilled grains, and save liquefaction, saccharification, and fermentation times.     

施钼对大豆与间作玉米增加氮素及产量的效果

钼是豆科作物固氮酶复合体组成的必需元素。我国有较多土壤的有效钼含量低，不少研究已证明施用钼肥可使豆科作物明显增产。国外近期的研究指出，豆科作物固定的氮可被间作的高梁、玉米等作物吸收。本文介绍了对大豆与玉米间作体系中施钼肥的研究结果，证明施钼不仅增加了大豆的固氮量及产量，而且还增加了玉米对氮的吸收量与产量。因此，推广应用该措施对粮食增产具有重要意义。     

黄土母质生土当年施肥对谷类作物生产力与根际土壤营养及生物活性的影响

连续3年试验研究了黄土母质生土当年施肥对谷类作物生产力与根际土壤营养及生物活性的影响。结果表明:黄土母质生土当年施肥促进了作物根系生长、生产力增加,强大的根土系统又促进了微生物的繁衍、酶活性及土壤营养的提高。黄土母质生土的熟化利用过程需用地养地相结合,重视生物改土。本研究表明,高粱、玉米均可作为生土改良沃化的先锋作物,高粱根系强壮,入土深,生物量大;而玉米虽根重、最大根长、一级节根数低于高粱,但根际土壤微生物数量多,酶活性高。而黍子根系柔弱,根际土壤生物活性较低,与高粱、玉米相比,不宜作为生土改良的先锋谷类作物。黄土母质生土对外源的辅助能(当年施肥)反应十分敏感,施肥的增产效应与土壤培肥都十分显著。黄土母质生土熟化沃化过程既是一个生土培肥改良过程,也是一个物质能量(营养)投入转化过程,并经植物物质生产过程、土壤微生物分解矿化过程及土壤生物化学酶系统促进过程三者互动,共同构成根土苗微生物物质能量转化的生态系统。     

甜高粱茎秆残渣生料多菌种固态发酵生产蛋白饲料

为实现甜高粱茎秆残渣生产蛋白饲料的规模化应用,该研究将黑曲霉(Aspergillus niger)、里氏木霉(Trichoderma reesei),产朊假丝酵母(Candida utilis)和干酪乳杆菌(Lactobacillus casei)进行优化组合,添加不同质量分数尿素对甜高粱茎秆残渣进行生料固态发酵生产蛋白饲料。试验通过对比发酵前后粗蛋白、真蛋白、粗灰分和粗脂肪质量分数变化发现:添加4种菌的复合菌株,再添加1%尿素发酵8 d后能使以甜高粱茎秆残渣为底物的饲料中纤维素由33.00%降低至24.09%,半纤维素由20.99%降低至17.69%;粗蛋白质量分数由2.27%提升至7.14%,真蛋白由2.01%提升至6.41%。该研究简化了甜高粱秸秆残渣规模化生产饲料蛋白的工艺,为该工艺的推广应用奠定基础。     

Use of Pigmented Maize in Both Conventional Dry‐Grind and Modified Processes Using Granular Starch Hydrolyzing Enzyme

In the dry‐grind ethanol process, distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is the main coproduct, which is primarily used as an ingredient in ruminant animal diets. Increasing the value of DDGS will improve the profitability of the dry‐grind ethanol process. One way to increase DDGS value is to use pigmented maize as the feedstock for ethanol production. Pigmented maize is rich in anthocyanin content, and the anthocyanin imparts red, blue, and purple color to the grain. It is reported that anthocyanin would be absorbed by yeast cell walls during the fermentation process. The effects of anthocyanin on fermentation characteristics in the dry‐grind process are not known. In this study, the effects of anthocyanin in conventional (conventional starch hydrolyzing enzymes) and modified (granular starch hydrolyzing enzymes [GSHE]) dry‐grind processes were evaluated. The modified process using GSHE replaced high‐temperature liquefaction. The ethanol conversion efficiencies of pigmented maize were comparable to that of yellow dent corn in both conventional (78.4 ± 0.5% for blue maize, 74.3 ± 0.4% for red maize, 81.2 ± 1.0% for purple maize, and 75.1 ± 0.2% for yellow dent corn) and modified dry‐grind processes using GSHE (83.8 ± 0.8% for blue maize, 81.1 ± 0.3% for red maize, 93.5 ± 0.8% for purple maize, and 85.6 ± 0.1% for yellow dent corn). Total anthocyanin content in DDGS from the modified process was 1.4, 1.9, and 2.4 times of that from the conventional process for purple, red, and blue maize samples, respectively. These results indicated that pigmented maize rich in anthocyanin did not negatively affect the fermentation characteristics of the dry‐grind process and that there was a potential to use pigmented maize in the dry‐grind process, especially when using GSHE.     

Impacts of Kafirin Allelic Diversity,Starch Content,and Protein Digestibility on Ethanol Conversion Efficiency in Grain Sorghum

Seed protein and starch composition determine the efficiency of the fermentation process in the production of grain‐based ethanol. Sorghum, a highly water‐ and nutrient‐efficient plant, provides an alternative to fuel crops with greater irrigation and fertilizer requirements, such as maize. However, sorghum grain is generally less digestible because of extensive disulfide cross‐linking among sulfur‐rich storage proteins in the protein– starch matrix. Thus, the fine structure and composition of the seed endosperm directly impact grain end use, including fermentation performance. To test the hypothesis that kafirin (prolamin) seed storage proteins specifically influence the efficiency of ethanol production from sorghum, 10 diverse genetic lines with allelic variation in the β‐, γ‐, and (δ‐kafirins, including three β‐kafirin null mutants, were tested for ethanol yield and fermentation efficiency. Our selected lines showed wide variation in grain biochemical features, including total protein (9.96–16.47%), starch (65.52–74.29%), and free amino nitrogen (FAN) (32.84–73.51 mg/L). Total ethanol yield (ranging from 384 to 426 L/metric ton), was positively correlated to starch content (R² = 0.74), and there was a slight positive correlation between protein digestibility and ethanol yield (R² = 0.52). Increases in FAN content enhanced fermentation efficiency (R² = 0.65). The highest ethanol producer was elite staygreen breeding line B923296, and the line with the highest fermentation efficiency at the 72 h time point was inbred BT×623. A large‐seeded genotype, KS115, carrying a novel γ‐kafirin allele, was rich in FAN and exhibited excellent short‐term fermentation efficiency at 85.68% at the 20 h time point. However, the overall ethanol yield from this line was comparatively low at 384 L/metric ton, because of insufficient starch, low digestibility, and high crude protein. Multivariate analysis indicated an association between the β‐kafirin allele and variation in grain digestibility (P = 0.042) and FAN (P = 0.036), with subsequent effects on ethanol yield. Reversed‐phase HPLC profiling of the alcohol‐soluble kafirin protein fraction revealed diversity in protein content and composition across the lines, with similarities in peak distribution profiles among β‐kafirin null mutants compared with normal lines.     

Substrate suitability of different genotypes of sorghum in relation to Aspergillus infection and aflatoxin production

Grain sorghum is often damaged by rain in the field and severely infected by grain mold, which includes Aspergillus infection and aflatoxin production. The objective of the study is to investigate the extent of aflatoxin production with Aspergillus infection in vitro in different sorghum genotypes with different pericarps, red, yellow, and white, the physical and chemical characteristics of grain during infection, and the changes in grain polyphenols and phytic acid in comparison to maize and groundnut. The physical characters and biochemical composition of sorghum grain contribute to make it less susceptible to Aspergillus infection and aflatoxin contamination compared to maize and groundnut. The lowest amounts of aflatoxin and ergosterol were observed in genotypes with red pericarp, whereas higher amounts of aflatoxin and ergosterol were found in white genotypes followed by maize and groundnut. All of the red genotypes differ in polyphenol composition and aflatoxin produced, showing resistance to mold damage. Another indication of resistance in red genotypes was the delayed peaking of aflatoxin production (9 days after infection). In red sorghum genotypes there was a significant, positive correlation existing between polyphenol content and aflatoxin produced at 3 and 6 days after infection, the r values being 0.589 and 0.513, respectively. The starch content decreased whereas the protein content in all sorghum genotypes increased during infection. Maximum phytic acid was observed in white sorghum genotypes. Phytic acid in yellow genotypes was found to have a significant negative correlation (r = -0.569) with aflatoxin produced.     

不同切碎方式对全株玉米青贮饲料品质影响的试验研究

该试验以乳熟期全株玉米为青贮原料,分别进行揉切、粉碎和切断处理,使用60 L青贮桶作为青贮装置,在室温下密封贮藏60 d后开封。试验结果表明：试验所用全株玉米的干物质含量为23.53％、可溶性碳水化合物含量为9.12％、粗蛋白含量为9.35％,为优质的青贮原料。经不同切碎方式的各组青贮饲料的有机酸含量均无显著差异(P＞0.05),pH值均在4.0以下,而且氨态氮与总氮的质量比也均在5.0以下,达到了优质青贮饲料的标准,虽然各青贮饲料的粗蛋白、粗灰分和可溶性碳水化合物含量有显著差异(P＜0.05),但均为优质的青贮饲料。综合比较,揉切青贮饲料的发酵品质和消化效果最好。     

Protein biofortified sorghum: effect of processing into traditional african foods on their protein quality

Protein biofortification into crops is a means to combat childhood protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) in developing countries, by increasing the bioavailability of protein in staple plant foods and ensuring sustainability of the crop. Protein biofortification of sorghum has been achieved by both chemically induced mutation and genetic engineering. For this biofortification to be effective, the improved protein quality in the grain must be retained when it is processed into staple African foods. Suppression of kafirin synthesis by genetic engineering appeared to be superior to improved protein digestibility by chemical mutagenesis, because both the lysine content and protein digestibility were substantially improved and maintained in a range of African foods. For the genetically engineered sorghums, the protein digestibility corrected amino acid score was almost twice that of their null controls and considerably higher than the high protein digestibility sorghum type. Such protein biofortified sorghum has considerable potential to alleviate PEM.     

Sulfur,Boron, and Zinc Fertilization Effects on Grain and Straw Quality of Maize and Sorghum Grown in Semi-Arid Tropical Region of India

Experiments were conducted on-farm during two seasons (2003–2004) to determine the effects of sulfur (S), boron (B), and zinc (Zn) fertilization on the grain and straw quality of sorghum and maize grown under rainfed conditions in the semi-arid zone of India. The farmers' fields were deficient in S, B, and Zn; in addition the soils were low in organic matter and extractable phosphorus (P), but adequate in extractable potassium (K). Results showed that the applications of S, B, and Zn (SBZn) with nitrogen (N) and P (SBZn + NP) significantly increased the grain N, S, and Zn concentrations in maize and sorghum compared to farmer inputs (FI) and SBZn treatments; the results relative to P and B composition of the grain of the crops were not consistent and did not show any definite trend. The application of SBZn + NP over FI generally increased N, S, and Zn concentration in sorghum and maize straw compared to FI and SBZn treatments. The straw composition of the crops relative to P and B did not show a consistent trend. The results of this study along with the results of our earlier research demonstrate that balanced nutrition of rainfed crops not only increases yields but also enhances N, S, and Zn contents in grain and straw of these crops.     

Enhancement of polyphenol recovery from rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and sage (Salvia officinalis) by enzyme-assisted ensiling (ENLAC).

The efficacy of enzyme-assisted ensiling (ENLAC) in the recovery of polyphenols from rosemary and sage was tested. Fresh rosemary and sage were chopped and ensiled in 0.5-L anaerobic jars. Treatments comprised control (no additives), 0.5% glucose and lactic acid bacteria, and 1% cellulase plus 1% hemicellulase plus pectinase. Following storage at room temperature for 45 days (experiment 1) and 26 days (experiment 2), polyphenols were extracted from the silages in ethanol either by direct blending or by cold extraction. The enzyme treatment resulted in silages with the lowest pH values, lowest fiber content, highest water-soluble sugar content, and highest polyphenol recovery; this treatment resulted in increased polyphenol recovery from rosemary and sage, by 100 and 20%, respectively. Comparison between direct blending and cold extraction revealed similar efficiency of polyphenol recovery.