Screening of Yeast Strains for Ethanol Production from Sweet Sorghum Juice

A laboratory experiment was conducted at University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad during Kharif 2003 and 2004 to study the screening of yeast strains for ethanol production from sweet sorghum juice. The experiment comprised of thirty two treatment combinations consisting of two genotypes (G1-SSV 84 and G-2 NSSH–1), four fertility levels (F 1 – 80 +50 kg N, K 2 O ha -1 , F 2 – 120 + 50 kg N, K 2 O ha -1 , F 3 – 80 +75 kg N, K 2 O ha -1 , F 4 – 120 +75 kg N, K 2 O ha -1 ) and four yeast strains (Y1- NCIM 3319, Y2- NCIM 3288, Y3- NCIM 350 and Y4- Local isolate). The samples were collected from the field [Main Agricultural Research Station, UAS Dharwad] to carry out lab experiment. The experiment was laid out in Complete Randomized Design (CRD). The treatment combinations were replicated two times. The results of the pooled data revealed that, genotype NSSH-1 recorded significantly higher ethanol yield (459.5 l ha -1 ) over SSV-84 (421.4 l ha -1 ). Similarly, significantly higher ethanol yield was recorded by 120 + 75 kg NK ha -1 (487.7 l ha -1 ) over rest of the fertility levels. Yeast strain NCIM-3319 recorded significantly higher ethanol yield (448.2 l ha -1 ) over NCIM-3288 and NCIM-3500 (437.3 and 435.1 l ha -1 , respectively) but was on par with local isolate (441.3 l ha -1 ). Two yeast strains viz ., NCIM-3319 and local isolate were significantly superior to rest of the tested yeast strains with respect to ethanol yield.