Suitability of winter triticale varieties for bioethanol production in Latvia

The research was carried out at the State Stende Cereals Breeding Institute in experimental years 2007/08 and 2008/09. The subject of the research was the suitability of seven winter triticale varieties and lines for bioethanol production. Two supplementary fertilization rates of nitrogen were used (N 100 kg ha-1 and N 140 kg ha-1). The correlations of characteristics of different varieties were evaluated. During the research the analysis of grain quality (starch and crude protein content) was carried out. The theoretical bioethanol outcome (L t-1) and yield (L ha-1) were calculated by using the indicators of starch content. The results of the research show that the winter triticale variety ʹDinaroʹ and line 9402-3 with the highest theoretically calculated bioethanol outcome (489.4 L t-1 and 486.5 L t-1) and the highest starch content of the grains (681.19 g kg-1and 677.13 g kg-1) were the most suitable for the bioethanol production in Latvian conditions. No substantial effect of the fertilization methods on the starch content in grains and on the theoretically calculated ethanol outcome was observed.