Industrial Agricultural Products Center
Biopolymers, Biochemicals, Biofuels, Biopower
Analysis indicates that sorghum wax, made from the coating on sorghum berries has characteristics similar to carnauba wax, made mostly from Brazilian palms. The Brazilian wax provides the preferred coating for many things--from fruits and vegetables to cars and floors. Sorghum wax's melting point is about 180 degrees, similar to carnauba and the wax makes a tough coating, like the imported wax.
An IAPC research team is studying the best ways to extract wax from sorghum hulls to provide a cost-effective alternative to carnauba. The team has compared wax yields from 23 sorghum varieties to determine whether yield and quality differ among those varieties. They also are comparing yields from sorghum grown under differing conditions to see if growing conditions affect yields.