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Rye and Triticale as Feedstock for Fuel Ethanol Production

¹Department of Applied Microbiology and Food Science, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK Canada S7N 5A8 ²Corresponding author. Phone: 306/966-5028. Fax: 306/966-8898. E-mail: Ingledew@sask.usask.ca ³Saskatchewan Research Council, 15 Innovation Blvd., Saskatoon, SK Canada S7N 2X8 ⁴Department of Crop Science and Plant Ecology, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK Canada S7N 5A8

Normal gravity rye and triticale mashes, containing 20–21 g of dissolved solids per 100 mL of mash liquid, were fermented with active dry yeast at 27°C. Fermentations were completed within 48 hr for rye, and within 72 hr for triticale. Supplementation of mashes with urea at a concentration of 8 mM accelerated rates of sugar consumption and fermentation, and reduced fermentation time from 48 to 36 hr for rye, and from 72 to 48 hr for triticale. Rye fermented faster than triticale, due to its higher level of free amino nitrogen. Ethanol yields were 356–363 L/tonne of 14% moisture rye grain, and 362–367 L/tonne of 14% moisture triticale. Fermentation efficiencies, which were 90–91% for triticale, and 91–93% for rye, and ethanol yields were comparable to those obtained from wheat and were not affected significantly by urea supplementation. The replacement of wheats by less expensive crops such as rye and triticale would provide good economic opportunities and alternatives for the fuel alcohol industry.