Effects of nitrogen treatments and harvesting stages on the aconitic

acid, invert sugar and fiber in sweet sorghum cultivars

 

A. Almodares*¹, M. Ranjbar² and M.R. Hadi³

 

¹Biology Department, College of Science, University of Isfahan, Isfahan - 81846-73441, Iran

²Department of Biology, Branch of Falavarjan, Islamic Azad University, - 84718-53996, Iran

³Department of Biology, Sciences and Research Branch of Fars, Islamic Azad University - 73715-181, Iran

 

(Received: July 29, 2009; Revised received: January 18, 2009; Accepted: February 24, 2010)

 

Abstract: Sweet sorghum is adapted to the hot and dry climatic conditions and its tolerance to slat is moderately. It can be used for different products such as food, feed, fiber and fuel. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects, three nitrogen treatments, and three harvesting stages on the aconitic acid, fiber and invert sugar of three sweet sorghum cultivars in the experimental station and the results showed that the effects were significant. Among nitrogen treatments, application of 100 kg ha^-1 urea at planting and 200 kg ha^-1 urea at 4 leaf stage had the highest aconitic acid (0.26%) and invert sugar (3.44%). Among sweet sorghum cultivars, IS2325 and Vespa had the highest aconitic acid (0.26%) and invert sugar (3.86%), respectively. Plant harvested at 4 leaf stage had the highest aconitic acid (0.26%) and the highest invert sugar (3.85%). Rio had higher fiber content than Vespa and IS2325 and all cultivars had the highest fiber content? before chilling harvesting stage. In general, since high invert sugar and high aconitic acid interfere crystallization of sugar so, it is suggested that to plant Vespa, apply urea 100 kg ha^-1 urea at planting, 100 kg ha^-1 urea at 4 leaf stage and 100 kg ha^-1 urea at booting and harvested before chilling that had lowest aconitic acid and invert sugar. Thereby, it is recommended to plant Vespa, apply urea 100 kg ha^-1 urea at planting, 100 kg ha^-1 urea at 4 leaf stage and 100 kg ha^-1 urea at booting and harvested at 4 leaf stage that had the highest aconitic acid.

Key words: Sweet sorghum, Nitrogen treatments, Harvesting stages, Invert sugar, Fiber and aconitic acid

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