Published in Scientific Papers. Series A. Agronomy, Vol. LXV, Issue 1
Written by Gheorghe MATEI, Mirela PARASCHIVU, Valentin VLĂDUȚ, Radu Lucian PÂNZARU, Lorena Diana POPA
The challenges of practicing a sustainable farming system include the use of renewable energy sources, fuels from residual crop biomass or biomass produced for this purpose. From the multitude of crops with high energy potential suitable for cultivation in climatic conditions in Romania, sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. var. Sacharratum). it proves to be one of the most important species, which is highlighted both by its high capacity to generate high yields, but also by the consistency and quality of fresh biomass production. Due to the stalks whose juice is rich in sugar (12-22% Brix), which can be easily converted into biofuel, either directly by fermentation or indirectly by obtaining alcohol, sweet sorghum is enlarged in culture, with obvious tendencies to increase surfaces on the European continent. The data presented in this paper were obtained from a study conducted on the chernozem soil in the Caracal Plain, in order to identify the ability of new hybrids of sweet sorghum to capitalize the climatic conditions specific to the area and to express their productive potential through high yields of fresh biomass with a high sugar content. The obtained data showed that the most valuable hybrid proved to be SASM 1, with a total biomass production of 88.1 t / ha and a ratio of stem participation to total biomass of 81.3%. The average soluble dry matter content (Brix) determined with the portable field refractometer, in the conditions of 2019 year, was 18.2% for the same hybrid.
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