Geopolitical tensions in some oil producing regions and the uncertainties surrounding the future availability of fossil fuels, as well as the urgent necessity to mitigate negative impacts on climate through reduced CO2 emissions, have created a strong interest for biofuels. Among potential crops for the production of biofuels, sorghum is an interesting C4 plant, able to combine production of food and fuel as well as a variety of other products. However, new ideotypes of sorghum need to be defined in order to optimise efficiency with respect to the following three potential use options of sorghum: (1) production of ethanol through second generation processes, (2) production of first generation ethanol combined with the use of bagasse for co-generation, and (3) production of first generation ethanol combined with the production of grain and the use of bagasse as fodder. This paper presents results elaborated in the framework of the project SWEETFUEL, supported by the European Commission, on the successful combination of traits of new sorghum ideotypes suitable for the three abovementioned use options.

Proceedings of the 19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 6-10 June 2011, Berlin, Germany, pp. 782-786