Evaluation of the Use of Energy in the Production of Sweet Sorghum (Sorghum Bicolor (L.) Moench) under Different Production Systems

Abstract

The growing global demand for energy and the reduction of energy based on oil are driving the search for new sources of energy that are environmentally friendly. To achieve this goal, it is also necessary to optimize the related processes. In this study, the behavior of the agronomic parameters of, and the energy invested in, production systems based on a new variety of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) called ROGER were determined to define the optimal production conditions. To this end, three methods of tillage (minimum, traditional, and traditional tillage with rupture of the plow layer) and three types of fertilizers (inorganic, organic, and without fertilizer) were established, and to estimate the energy efficiency, the inputs and the energy outputs of each system were considered. The traditional tillage with breaking of the plow layer and the organic fertilizer showed the highest values of plant height (2.45 and 2.39 m, respectively); total fresh weight of the plant (51.66 and 50.77 t·ha−1, respectively), of the stem (42.7 and 41.05 t·ha−1, respectively), and of the juice (21.89 and 22.57 t·ha−1, respectively); the volume of the juice (20,783.12 and 22,529.59 L·ha−1, respectively); and Brix degrees (16.04% and 15.01%, respectively). However, the highest energy efficiency was registered in the production system that used the minimum tillage, with a value of 15.11, as well as when no fertilizer was applied with 18.68.