Evaluation of Sweet Sorghum Varieties for Bioethanol Production Under Dryland Conditions

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the productivity potential and theoretical bioethanol yield of 12 sweet sorghum genotypes under dryland conditions of Northern Kazakhstan during the 2024-2025 growing seasons using a quantitative experimental design. Significant varietal differences in agronomic traits were observed depending on meteorological conditions. In 2024, the highest theoretical bioethanol yield was achieved by Sevilya (1417 L/ha), whereas in 2025, Sauri performed best (671 L/ha), with overall ethanol yield more than twofold lower in 2025 due to contrasting hydrothermal conditions. Cluster analysis identified two main clusters, with eight varieties suitable for bioethanol production. Correlation analysis revealed positive relationships between plant height, leaf length, stem yield, and bioethanol output. The novelty of this study lies in assessing the potential of different sweet sorghum varieties for bioethanol production under short growing seasons, heat-deficient, and moisture-limited conditions.