Selection of efficient Sacchromices cerevisiae strain for ethanol production from sorghum stalk juice

Production of energy efficient technologies offers the world the safest and most environmentally benign way to sustainability. The global fuel crises in the 1970s generated awareness amongst many countries of their vulnerability to oil embargoes and shortages. Considerable attention was focused on the development of alternative fuel sources with particular reference to the ethanol. An incubation experiment was carried out to screen efficient Sacchromices cerevisiae strain for ethanol production from sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] stalk juice. In preliminary screening 25 strains of S. cerevisiae were tested and the strains utilized 43.8 to 96.9% sugar with 0.13 to 7.71% residual sugar in fermented sorghum stalk juice. Out of 25 strains, 6 efficient strains were studied for ethanol production, which ranged from 5.06 to 6.19% w/v. Kinetic parameters indicated that strain NCIM 3186 yielded maximum ethanol (6.27% w/v) with higher fermentation efficiency (89.7%) and yield coefficient (0.46 g g⁻¹). Therefore, the NCIM 3186 strain was identified as the best strain for fermentation of sorghum stalks juice for ethanol production.