Verificou-se o uso do marcador LW7 para identificação de linhas mantenedoras B e restauradoras R em sorgo granífero e doce e para identificação de linhas mantenedoras B nas gerações F2, RC1F2 e RC2F2. Vinte e cinco acessos de sorgo foram avaliados e o marcador LW7 identificou corretamente aqueles que possuem o gene de macho-esterilidade (rf4) como Suphan Buril e 03B, os quais não mostraram a banda de 779 pb. O cruzamento entre Suphan Buri1 e uma linha macho-estéril (A) 03A resultou macho-estéril, confirmando a utilidade do marcador em programas de melhoramento. Linhas B em gerações F2, RC1F2 e RC2F2 foram identificadas pelo marcador LW7 e a taxa de segregação de 3:1 para fertilidade e macho-esterilidade nas progênies das três gerações apoiaram o modelo de segregação Mendeliana de um gene. O uso da seleção assistida por marcador foi bem sucedido para o desenvolvimento de linhas de sorgo sacarino com macho-estéreis.

The objectives of this study were to verify the use of LW7 marker in identifying maintainer lines (B-lines) and restorer lines (R-lines) in grain sorghum and sweet sorghum, and to identify B-lines in the F2, BC1F2 and BC2F2 generations. Twenty five accessions of sorghum were evaluated, and LW7 marker correctly identified accessions which presented male sterility gene (rf4) in Suphan Buri1 and 03B cultivars; moreover, these genotypes did not show 779 bp band. The cross between Suphan Buri1 and a male-sterile line (A-line) 03A resulted in a sterilized male, confirming the usefulness of the marker in breeding programs. B-lines in the F2, BC1F2 and BC2F2 generations were identified by LW7 marker. The segregation ratio of 3:1 for male fertility and male sterility in the progenies of the three generations supported the one-gene model of Mendelian segregation. The use of marker assisted selection was successful for line development of sweet sorghum with male sterility.

Dried spent yeast (DSY) was used as a low-cost nitrogen supplement for ethanol fermentation from sweet sorghum juice under very high gravity (VHG) conditions by Saccharomyces cerevisiae NP 01. The fermentation was carried out at 30ºC in a 5-litre bioreactor. The results showed that DSY promoted ethanol production efficiencies. The ethanol concentration (P), productivity (Qp) and yield (Yp/s) of the sterile juice (total sugar of 280 g l-1) supplemented with 8 g l-1 of DSY were not different from those supplemented with yeast extract and/or peptone at the same amount. The initial yeast cell concentration of 5 x 10(7) cells ml-1 was found to be optimal for scale-up ethanol production. In addition, an increase in sugar concentration in inoculum preparation medium (from 10 to 100 g l-1) improved the ability of the inoculum to produce ethanol under the VHG conditions. When S. cerevisiae NP 01 grown in the juice containing 100 g l-1 of total sugar was used as the inoculum for ethanol fermentation, the P, Qp and Yp/s obtained were 108.98 ± 1.16 g l-1, 2.27 ± 0.06 g l-1 h-1 and 0.47 ± 0.01 g g-1, respectively. Similar results were also observed when the ethanol fermentation was scaled up to a 50-litre bioreactor under the same conditions. The cost of the sweet sorghum for ethanol production was US$ 0.63 per litre of ethanol. These results clearly indicate the high potential of using sweet sorghum juice supplemented with DSY under VHG fermentation for ethanol production in industrial applications.

Batch ethanol fermentations from sweet sorghum juice by Saccharomyces cerevisiae NP 01 were carried out in a 500 ml air-locked Erlenmeyer flask under very high gravity (VHG) and static conditions. The maximum ethanol production efficiency was obtained when 9 g l-1 of yeast extract was supplemented to the juice. The ethanol concentration (P), productivity (Qp) and yield (Yp/s) were 120.24 ± 1.35 g l-1, 3.01 ± 0.08 g l-1 h-1 and 0.49 ± 0.01, respectively. Scale up ethanol fermentation in a 5-litre bioreactor at an agitation rate of 100 rev min-1 revealed that P, Qp and Yp/s were 139.51 ± 0.11 g l-1, 3.49 ± 0.00 g l-1 h-1 and 0.49 ± 0.01, respectively, whereas lower P (119.53 ± 0.20 g l-1) and Qp (2.13 ± 0.01 g l-1 h-1) were obtained in a 50-litre bioreactor. In the repeated-batch fermentation in the 5-litre bioreactor with fill and drain volume of 50% of the working volume, lower P and Qp were observed in the subsequent batches. P in batch 2 to 8 ranged from 103.37 ± 0.28 to 109.53 ± 1.06 g l-1.