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90-502: Sorghum bicolor , commonly called sorghum ( / ˈ s ɔːr ɡ ə m / ) and also known as great millet , broomcorn , guinea corn , durra , imphee , jowar , or milo , is a species in the grass genus Sorghum cultivated for its grain . The grain is used for food for humans; the plant is used for animal feed and ethanol production. Sorghum originated in Africa, and is now cultivated widely in tropical and subtropical regions. Sorghum
180-516: A gelling agent , meaning when the pectin chains combine, they create a network that results in a gel. The strength and effectiveness of the side chains and the bonds they form depend on the pH of the pectin, the optimal pH is between 2.8 and 3.2. Marmalade is a fruit preserve made from the juice and peel of citrus fruits boiled with sugar and water. It can be produced from lemons, limes, grapefruits, mandarins, sweet oranges, bergamots and other citrus fruits, or any combination thereof. Marmalade
270-499: A sod -forming perennial grass used in agriculture is Thinopyrum intermedium . Grasses are used as raw material for a multitude of purposes, including construction and in the composition of building materials such as cob , for insulation, in the manufacture of paper and board such as oriented structural straw board . Grass fiber can be used for making paper , biofuel production, nonwoven fabrics, and as replacement for glass fibers used in reinforced plastics. Bamboo scaffolding
360-535: A 3K SNP Infinium from Illumina, Inc. Agrobacterium transformation can be used on sorghum, as shown in a 2018 report of such a transformation system. A 2013 study developed and validated an SNP array for molecular breeding . In 2021, world production of sorghum was 61 million tonnes , led by the United States with 19% of the total (table). India, Ethiopia , and Mexico were the largest secondary producers. In 2013, China began purchasing American sorghum as
450-450: A cane juicer to extract the sweet molasses -like juice. The juice is sold as syrup, and used as a feedstock to make biofuel. In India, the panicle stalks are used as bristles for brooms . In Australia, sorghum is personified as a spirit among the Dagoman people of Northern Territory , as well as being used for food; the local species are S. intrans and S. plumosum . In Korea,
540-505: A chemical to adjust the pH; and/or an antifoaming agent . In the European Union , the jam directive (Council Directive 79/693/EEC, 24 July 1979) set minimum standards for the amount of "fruit" in jam, but the definition of fruit was expanded to take account of several unusual kinds of jam made in the EU. For this purpose, "fruit" is considered to include fruits that are not usually treated in
630-448: A complementary livestock feed to its domestically grown maize. It imported around $ 1 billion worth per year until April 2018, when it imposed retaliatory tariffs as part of a trade war . By 2020, the tariffs had been waived, and trade volumes increased before declining again as China began buying sorghum from other countries. As of 2020, China is the world's largest sorghum importer, importing more than all other countries combined. Mexico
720-478: A culinary sense as fruits, such as tomatoes, cucumbers , and pumpkins; fruits that are not normally made into jams; and vegetables that are sometimes made into jams, such as rhubarb (the edible part of the stalks), carrots, and sweet potatoes . This definition continues to apply in the new directive, Council Directive 2001/113/EC of 20 December 2001 relating to fruit jams, jellies and marmalades and sweetened chestnut purée intended for human consumption. Extra jam
810-417: A distinctive bitter taste which it imparts to the preserve. Fruit preserves are used in many food preparations and recipes; some examples include: In general, jam is produced by taking mashed or chopped fruit or vegetable pulp and boiling it with sugar and water. The proportion of sugar and fruit varies according to the type of fruit and its ripeness, but a rough starting point is equal weights of each. When
900-522: A little ginger to enhance the flavor. The origin of the term is obscure, but it is theorized that it came from the French. The word is also based on the French term confiture via the Dutch confident (meaning candied fruit). A conserve , or whole fruit jam , is a preserve made of fruit stewed in sugar. The making of conserves can be trickier than making a standard jam; it requires cooking or sometimes steeping
990-416: A minimum percentage of water-soluble solids. Jams "shall be the product made by boiling fruit, fruit pulp or canned fruit to a suitable consistency with water and a sweetening ingredient", jellies "shall be the product made by boiling fruit juice or concentrated fruit juice that is free from seeds and pulp with water and a sweetening ingredient until it acquires a gelatinous consistency". In Canada, fruit jam
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#17328632104901080-577: A photosynthetic pathway, linked to specialized Kranz leaf anatomy , which allows for increased water use efficiency , rendering them better adapted to hot, arid environments. The C3 grasses are referred to as "cool-season" grasses, while the C4 plants are considered "warm-season" grasses. Although the C4 species are all in the PACMAD clade (see diagram below), it seems that various forms of C4 have arisen some twenty or more times, in various subfamilies or genera. In
1170-546: A process similar to that used for making jam, with the additional step of filtering out the fruit pulp after the initial cooking. Good jelly is clear and sparkling and has a fresh flavor of the fruit from which it is made. It is tender enough to quiver when moved but holds angles when cut. The characteristic clarity and jellied consistency of a jelly are qualities it shares with the gelatin-based dessert also called jelly in some places. High pectin fruits such as quinces, apples, or redcurrants are used for making jelly. In
1260-432: A product made of whole fruit cut into pieces or crushed, then heated with water and sugar until it reaches "jelling" or "setting" point, which is achieved through the action of natural or added pectin . It is then sealed in containers. Jam making became "a great new industry" in 19th century England, at which point English jam makers were jam makers for the world, thriving after the repeal of sugar duties in 1874. Pectin
1350-486: A replaceable tightly-fitting lid can be used. Other methods of packaging jam, especially for industrially produced products, include cans and plastic packets, especially used in the food service industry for individual servings. Under the Processed Products Regulations (C.R.C., c. 291), jams, jellies, citrus marmalade, and preserves are defined. Each must contain a minimum percentage of the named fruit and
1440-527: A sieve to give a smooth consistency. After sieving, cook the pulp ... add sugar and cook as rapidly as possible with constant stirring.… The finished product should mound up when dropped from a spoon, but should not cut like jelly. Nor should there be any free liquid. Fruit curd is a dessert topping and spread usually made with lemon, lime , orange, or raspberry . The basic ingredients are beaten egg yolks, sugar, fruit juice and zest which are gently cooked together until thick and then allowed to cool, forming
1530-510: A significant portion of the fruit. In the English-speaking world, the two terms are more strictly differentiated and, when this is not the case, the more usual generic term is 'jam'. The singular preserve or conserve is used as a collective noun for high fruit content jam, often for marketing purposes. Additionally, the name of the type of fruit preserves will also vary depending on the regional variant of English being used. Cheong
1620-596: A smaller part of the vegetation in almost every other terrestrial habitat. Grass-dominated biomes are called grasslands. If only large, contiguous areas of grasslands are counted, these biomes cover 31% of the planet's land. Grasslands include pampas , steppes , and prairies . Grasses provide food to many grazing mammals, as well as to many species of butterflies and moths . Many types of animals eat grass as their main source of food, and are called graminivores – these include cattle , sheep , horses , rabbits and many invertebrates , such as grasshoppers and
1710-502: A soft, smooth, flavorful spread. Some recipes also include egg whites or butter. In the United States the FDA has Requirements for Specific Standardized Fruit Butters, Jellies, Preserves, and Related Products , "fruit spread" is not defined. The term is sometimes used for a jam or preserve with no added sugar, but there are many foodstuffs described as "fruit spreads" by leading manufacturers that do contain added sugar. Jam refers to
1800-462: A sugar-rich syrup and as forage. Sweet sorghum was important to the sugar trade in the 19th century. The price of sugar was rising because of decreased production in the British West Indies and more demand for confectionery and fruit preserves , and the United States was actively searching for a sugar plant that could be produced in northern states. The "Chinese sugar-cane", sweet sorghum,
1890-407: A vacuum which both helps prevent spoilage and pulls down a tamper-evident "safety button" when used. The high sugar content makes jam keep for exceedingly long times before unsealing the packaging, and for a long time at room temperature after opening, as fruit preserves are typically of low water activity . Glass or plastic jars are often used to store jam that is not all to be used at once, as
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#17328632104901980-904: A variety that include grasses that are related to modern rice and bamboo . Grasses have adapted to conditions in lush rain forests , dry deserts , cold mountains and even intertidal habitats , and are currently the most widespread plant type; grass is a valuable source of food and energy for all sorts of wildlife. A cladogram shows subfamilies and approximate species numbers in brackets: Chloridoideae (1600) Danthonioideae (300) Micrairoideae (200) Arundinoideae (50) Panicoideae (3250) Aristidoideae (350) Oryzoideae (110) Bambusoideae – bamboos (1450) Pooideae (3850) Puelioideae (11) Pharoideae (13) Anomochlooideae (4) Before 2005, fossil findings indicated that grasses evolved around 55 million years ago. Finds of grass-like phytoliths in Cretaceous dinosaur coprolites from
2070-670: Is sugar and sometimes acid , often stored in glass jars and used as a condiment or spread . There are many varieties of fruit preserves globally, distinguished by the method of preparation, type of fruit used, and its place in a meal. Sweet fruit preserves such as jams, jellies, and marmalades are often eaten at breakfast with bread or as an ingredient of a pastry or dessert, whereas more savory and acidic preserves made from " vegetable fruits " such as tomato, squash or zucchini , are eaten alongside savory foods such as cheese, cold meats, and curries. There are several techniques of making jam, with or without added water. One factor depends on
2160-473: Is a grass used as a culinary herb for its citrus-like flavor and scent. Many species of grass are grown as pasture for foraging or as fodder for prescribed livestock feeds, particularly in the case of cattle , horses , and sheep . Such grasses may be cut and stored for later feeding, especially for the winter, in the form of bales of hay or straw , or in silos as silage . Straw (and sometimes hay) may also be used as bedding for animals. An example of
2250-465: Is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses . It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos , the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns and pasture . The latter are commonly referred to collectively as grass . With around 780 genera and around 12,000 species, the Poaceae is the fifth-largest plant family , following
2340-414: Is a large stout grass that grows up to 2.4 metres (7.9 ft) tall. It has large bushy flowerheads or panicles that provide an edible starchy grain with up to 3,000 seeds in each flowerhead. It grows in warm climates worldwide for food and forage. Sorghum is native to Africa with many cultivated forms. Most production uses annual cultivars, but some wild species of Sorghum are perennial, which may enable
2430-482: Is a name for various sweetened foods in the form of syrups, marmalades, and fruit preserves in Korean cuisine. It is used as a tea base, as a honey-or-sugar substitute in cooking, and as a condiment. There are liquid varieties such as maesil-cheong ( plum syrup ), jam -like varieties such as yuja-cheong ( yuja marmalade ), and conserve -like varieties such as mogwa-cheong (preserved quince ). A chutney
2520-419: Is a relish of Indian origin made of fruit, spices and herbs. Although originally intended to be eaten soon after preparation, modern chutneys are often made to be sold, so they require preservatives – often sugar and vinegar – to ensure they have a suitable shelf life. Mango chutney, for example, is mangoes reduced with sugar. Confit , the past participle of the French verb confire , "to preserve",
2610-517: Is able to withstand typhoon-force winds that would break steel scaffolding. Larger bamboos and Arundo donax have stout culms that can be used in a manner similar to timber, Arundo is used to make reeds for woodwind instruments , and bamboo is used for innumerable implements. Phragmites australis (common reed) is important for thatching and wall construction of homes in Africa. Grasses are used in water treatment systems, in wetland conservation and land reclamation , and used to lessen
2700-426: Is also accounts for 7% of global sorghum production. The grain is edible and nutritious. It can be eaten raw when young and milky, but has to be boiled or ground into flour when mature. Sorghum grain is 72% carbohydrates including 7% dietary fiber, 11% protein, 3% fat , and 12% water (table). In a reference amount of 100 grams (3.5 oz), sorghum grain supplies 79 calories and rich contents (20% or more of
2790-581: Is also used to make alcoholic beverages , and biofuels such as ethanol . It can be made into couscous , porridge, or flatbreads such as Indian Jōḷada roṭṭi or tortillas; and it can be burst in hot oil to make a popcorn , smaller than that of maize. Since it does not contain gluten, it can be used in gluten-free diets . In Nigeria , the pulverized red leaf-sheaths of sorghum have been used to dye leather, while in Algeria , sorghum has been used to dye wool. In South Africa, characteristically sour malwa beer
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2880-436: Is an alternative definition of a conserve: a preserve made from a mixture of fruits or vegetables. Conserves in this sense may also include dried fruit or nuts. Fruit butter , in this context, refers to a process where the whole fruit is forced through a sieve or blended after the heating process. Fruit butter are generally made from larger fruits, such as apples, plums, peaches, or grapes. Cook until softened and run through
2970-601: Is applied both to preservation of meats, and to fruits or vegetables seasoned and cooked with honey or sugar till jam-like. Savory confits, such as those made with garlic or fennel, may call for an oil, such as virgin olive oil, as the preserving agent. Konfyt ( Afrikaans : "jam" or "fruit preserve" ) is a type of jam eaten in Southern Africa. It is made by boiling selected fruit or fruits (such as strawberries, apricots, oranges, lemons, watermelons, berries, peaches, prickly pears, or others) and sugar, and optionally adding
3060-609: Is categorized into two types: fruit jam and fruit jam with pectin . Both types contain fruit, fruit pulp or canned fruit and are boiled with water and a sweetening ingredient. Both must have 66% water-soluble solids. Fruit jam and fruit jam with pectin may contain a class II preservative , a pH adjusting agent or an antifoaming agent . Both types cannot contain apple or rhubarb fruit. Though both types of jam are very similar, there are some differences in fruit percent, added pectin, and added acidity . Fruit jam must have at least 45% fruit and may contain added pectin to compensate for
3150-462: Is distinguished from jam by the inclusion of citrus peel, and the use of more water, in which respect it resembles a jelly. It is distinguished from a jelly by containing pieces of fruit peel. The benchmark citrus fruit for marmalade production in Britain is the bitter Spanish Seville orange , Citrus aurantium var. aurantium , prized for its high pectin content, which gives a good set. The peel has
3240-994: Is for piecing together historical landscapes and weather patterns, considering other factors such as genetic material amount might also affect pollen size. Despite these challenges, new techniques in Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and improved statistical methods are now helping to better identify these similar-looking pollen types. Grasses are the primary plants used in lawns, which themselves derive from grazed grasslands in Europe. They also provide an important means of erosion control (e.g., along roadsides), especially on sloping land. Grass lawns are an important covering of playing surfaces in many sports, including football (soccer) , American football , tennis , golf , cricket , softball and baseball . Fruit preserves Fruit preserves are preparations of fruits whose main preserving agent
3330-528: Is generally considered diploid and contains 20 chromosomes, however, there is evidence to suggest a tetraploid origin for S. bicolor . The genome size is approximately 800 Mbp. Paterson et al. , 2009 provides a genome assembly of 739 megabase . The most commonly used genome database is SorGSD maintained by Luo et al. , 2016. A gene expression atlas is available from Shakoor et al. , 2014 with 27,577 genes . For molecular breeding (or other purposes) an SNP array has been created by Bekele et al. , 2013,
3420-606: Is linked to crop improvement, since meiotic recombination is an important component of plant breeding . Unlike in animals, the specification of both male and female plant germlines occurs late in development during flowering. The transition from the sporophyte phase to the gametophyte state is initiated by meiotic entry. Grasses are, in human terms, perhaps the most economically important plant family. Their economic importance stems from several areas, including food production, industry, and lawns . They have been grown as food for domesticated animals for up to 6,000 years and
3510-451: Is made from sorghum or millet. The process involves souring the mashed grain with lactic acid bacteria , followed by fermenting by the wild yeasts that were on the grain. In China and Taiwan, sorghum is one of the main materials of Kaoliang liquor , a type of the colourless distilled alcoholic drink Baijiu . In countries including the US, the stalks of sweet sorghum varieties are crushed in
3600-721: Is mainly D-galacturonic acid connected by α (1–4) glycosidic linkages. The side chains of pectin may contain small amounts of other sugars such as L-fructose, D-glucose, D-mannose, and D-xylose. In jams, pectin thickens the final product via cross-linking of the large polymer chains. Recipes without added pectin use the natural pectin in the fruit to set. Tart apples , sour blackberries , cranberries , currants, gooseberries , Concord grapes , soft plums , and quinces work well in recipes without added pectin. Other fruits, such as apricots, blueberries, cherries, peaches, pineapple, raspberries, rhubarb, and strawberries are low in pectin. In order to set, or gel, they must be combined with one of
3690-446: Is planted in narrow rows. Sorghum actively suppresses weeds by producing sorgoleone, an alkylresorcinol . Sorghum grows in a wide range of temperatures. It can tolerate high altitude and toxic soils, and can recover growth after some drought. Optimum growth temperature range is 12–34 °C (54–93 °F), and the growing season lasts for around 115–140 days. It can grow on a wide range of soils, such as heavy clay to sandy soils with
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3780-434: Is subject to a variety of plant pathogens . The fungus Colletotrichum sublineolum causes anthracnose . The toxic ergot fungus parasitises the grain, risking harm to humans and livestock. Sorghum produces chitinases as defensive compounds against fungal diseases . Transgenesis of additional chitinases increases the crop's disease resistance. The genome of S. bicolor was sequenced between 2005 and 2007. It
3870-415: Is subject to somewhat stricter rules that set higher standards for the minimum fruit content (45% instead of 35% as a general rule, but lower for some fruits such as redcurrants and blackcurrants), specifying the use of unconcentrated fruit pulp, and forbidding the mixture of certain fruits and vegetables with others. Extra jelly similarly specifies that the proportion of fruit juice or aqueous extracts in
3960-412: Is the open pan method, which is essentially a larger scale version of the method a home jam maker would use. This gives a traditional flavor, with some caramelization of the sugars. The second commercial process involves the use of a vacuum vessel, where the jam is placed under a vacuum, which has the effect of reducing its boiling temperature to anywhere between 65 and 80 °C depending on the recipe and
4050-446: Is the world's fifth-most important cereal crop after rice , wheat , maize , and barley . Sorghum is typically an annual, but some cultivars are perennial. It grows in clumps that may reach over 4 metres (13 ft) high. The grain is small, 2 to 4 millimetres (0.08 to 0.2 in) in diameter. Sweet sorghums are cultivars primarily grown for forage, syrup production, and ethanol; they are taller than those grown for grain. Sorghum
4140-475: Is used primarily as poultry feed, and secondarily as cattle feed and in brewing applications. Insect damage is a major threat to sorghum plants. Over 150 species damage crop plants at different stages of development, resulting in significant biomass loss. Stored sorghum grain is attacked by other insect pests such as the lesser grain borer beetle. Sorghum is a host of the parasitic plant Striga hermonthica , purple witchweed; that can reduce production. Sorghum
4230-449: The Aristida genus for example, one species ( A. longifolia ) is C3 but the approximately 300 other species are C4. As another example, the whole tribe of Andropogoneae , which includes maize , sorghum , sugar cane , " Job's tears ", and bluestem grasses , is C4. Around 46 percent of grass species are C4 plants. The name Poaceae was given by John Hendley Barnhart in 1895, based on
4320-698: The Albian stage of the Early Cretaceous approximately 113–100 million years ago, which were found to belong to primitive lineages within Poaceae, similar in position to the Anomochlooideae. These are currently the oldest known grass fossils. The relationships among the three subfamilies Bambusoideae, Oryzoideae and Pooideae in the BOP clade have been resolved: Bambusoideae and Pooideae are more closely related to each other than to Oryzoideae. This separation occurred within
4410-503: The Americas ). Sugarcane is the major source of sugar production. Additional food uses of sugarcane include sprouted grain , shoots , and rhizomes , and in drink they include sugarcane juice and plant milk , as well as rum , beer , whisky , and vodka . Bamboo shoots are used in numerous Asian dishes and broths, and are available in supermarkets in various sliced forms, in both fresh, fermented and canned versions. Lemongrass
4500-550: The Asteraceae , Orchidaceae , Fabaceae and Rubiaceae . The Poaceae are the most economically important plant family, providing staple foods from domesticated cereal crops such as maize , wheat , rice , oats , barley , and millet for people and as feed for meat-producing animals . They provide, through direct human consumption, just over one-half (51%) of all dietary energy; rice provides 20%, wheat supplies 20%, maize (corn) 5.5%, and other grains 6%. Some members of
4590-453: The Cenozoic contributed to the spread of grasses. Without large grazers, fire-cleared areas are quickly colonized by grasses, and with enough rain, tree seedlings. Trees eventually outcompete most grasses. Trampling grazers kill seedling trees but not grasses. Sexual reproduction and meiosis have been studied in rice , maize , wheat and barley . Meiosis research in these crop species
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#17328632104904680-456: The Daily Value , DV) of several B vitamins and dietary minerals (table). In the early stages of plant growth, some sorghum species may contain levels of hydrogen cyanide , hordenine , and nitrates lethal to grazing animals. Plants stressed by drought or heat can also contain toxic levels of cyanide and nitrates at later stages in growth. Sorghum is widely used for food and animal fodder. It
4770-468: The early modern period , sticks of sorghum were used by Benandanti visionaries of the Friuli district to fight off witches who were thought to threaten crops and people. Poaceae Gramineae Juss. Poaceae ( / p oʊ ˈ eɪ s i . iː , - s i aɪ / poh- AY -see-e(y)e ), also called Gramineae ( / ɡ r ə ˈ m ɪ n i . iː , - n i aɪ / grə- MIN -ee-e(y)e ),
4860-422: The ligule lies at the junction between sheath and blade, preventing water or insects from penetrating into the sheath. Flowers of Poaceae are characteristically arranged in spikelets , each having one or more florets. The spikelets are further grouped into panicles or spikes . The part of the spikelet that bears the florets is called the rachilla. A spikelet consists of two (or sometimes fewer) bracts at
4950-655: The Land Institute to develop a perennial cultivar for "repeated, sufficient grain harvests without resowing." Sorghum is closely related to maize and the millets within the PACMAD clade of grasses, and more distantly to the cereals of the BOP clade such as wheat and barley . Bambusoideae (bamboos) ( fescue , ryegrass ) Hordeum (barley) Triticum (wheat) Secale (rye) Oryza (rice) Pennisetum (fountaingrasses, pearl millet ) Millets Sorghum (sorghum) Zea (maize) S. bicolor
5040-562: The Poaceae are used as building materials ( bamboo , thatch , and straw ); others can provide a source of biofuel , primarily via the conversion of maize to ethanol . Grasses have stems that are hollow except at the nodes and narrow alternate leaves borne in two ranks. The lower part of each leaf encloses the stem, forming a leaf-sheath. The leaf grows from the base of the blade, an adaptation allowing it to cope with frequent grazing. Grasslands such as savannah and prairie where grasses are dominant are estimated to constitute 40.5% of
5130-509: The Semi-Arid Tropics has improved sorghum using traditional genetic improvement and integrated genetic and natural resources management practices. Some 194 improved cultivars are now planted worldwide. In India , increases in sorghum productivity resulting from improved cultivars have freed up 7 million hectares (17 million acres) of land, enabling farmers to diversify into high-income cash crops and boost their livelihoods. Sorghum
5220-408: The United States, jellies made from strawberries or concord grapes are most popular and are used for making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches . Fruit jellies may be used in a meal or dish in a similar way to jam. Some jellies, such as redcurrant , or mint , are classic accompaniments to roasted meats such as turkey, game, and lamb. Pectin is essential to the formation of jelly because it acts as
5310-442: The base, called glumes , followed by one or more florets. A floret consists of the flower surrounded by two bracts, one external—the lemma —and one internal—the palea . The flowers are usually hermaphroditic — maize being an important exception—and mainly anemophilous or wind-pollinated, although insects occasionally play a role. The perianth is reduced to two scales, called lodicules , that expand and contract to spread
5400-450: The caterpillars of many brown butterflies . Grasses are also eaten by omnivorous or even occasionally by primarily carnivorous animals. Grasses dominate certain biomes , especially temperate grasslands , because many species are adapted to grazing and fire. Grasses are unusual in that the meristem is near the bottom of the plant; hence, grasses can quickly recover from cropping at the top. The evolution of large grazing animals in
5490-417: The end result desired. The lower boiling temperature enables the water to be driven off as it would be when using the traditional open pan method, but with the added benefit of retaining more of the volatile flavor compounds from the fruit, preventing caramelization of the sugars, and of course reducing the overall energy required to make the product. However, once the desired amount of water has been driven off,
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#17328632104905580-830: The erosional impact of urban storm water runoff. Pollen morphology, particularly in the Poaceae family, is key to figuring out their evolutionary relationships and how environments have changed over time . Grass pollen grains, however, often look the same, making it hard to use them for detailed climate or environmental reconstructions. Grass pollen has a single pore and can vary a lot in size, from about 20 to over 100 micrometers, and this size difference has been looked into for clues about past habitats, to tell apart domesticated grasses from wild ones, and to indicate various biological features like how they perform photosynthesis , their breeding systems, and genetic complexity. Yet, there's ongoing debate about how effective pollen size
5670-460: The finished product must not be less than that laid down for the manufacture of extra jam. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published standards of identity in 21 CFR 150, and treats jam and preserves as synonymous, but distinguishes jelly from jams and preserves. All of these are cooked and pectin-gelled fruit products, but jellies are made from fruit juice, without seeds and pulp, while jams and preserves are gelled fruit that may include
5760-417: The fruit in the hot sugar mixture for just long enough to allow the flavor to be extracted from the fruit, and sugar to penetrate it, but not so long that the fruit breaks down and liquefies. This process can also be achieved by spreading the dry sugar over raw fruit in layers, and leaving for several hours to penetrate into the fruit and soak the water out, then heating the resulting mixture to bring it just to
5850-482: The fruits in sugar overnight and cook this down to a syrup. The term preserves is usually interchangeable with jams even though preserves contain chunks or pieces of the fruit whereas jams in some regions do not. Closely related names include: chutney , confit , conserve , fruit butter , fruit curd , fruit spread , jelly , cheese , leather and marmalade . Some cookbooks define preserves as cooked and gelled whole fruit (or vegetable), which includes
5940-469: The full list of Poaceae genera . The grass family is one of the most widely distributed and abundant groups of plants on Earth . Grasses are found on every continent, including Antarctica . The Antarctic hair grass, Deschampsia antarctica is one of only two plant species native to the western Antarctic Peninsula . Grasses are the dominant vegetation in many habitats, including grassland , salt-marsh , reedswamp and steppes . They also occur as
6030-477: The grain is one of the staples for poor and rural people. These varieties provide forage in many tropical regions. S. bicolor is a food crop in Africa, Central America , and South Asia , and is the fifth most common cereal crop grown in the world. It is most often grown without application of fertilizers or other inputs by small-holder farmers in developing countries. They benefit from sorghum's ability to compete effectively with weeds, especially when it
6120-478: The grains of grasses such as wheat , rice, maize (corn) and barley have been the most important human food crops . Grasses are also used in the manufacture of thatch , paper , fuel , clothing , insulation , timber for fencing , furniture , scaffolding and construction materials, floor matting , sports turf and baskets . Of all crops grown, 70% are grasses. Agricultural grasses grown for their edible seeds are called cereals or grains (although
6210-476: The higher pectin fruits or used with commercially produced or homemade pectin. Use of added pectin decreases cooking time. Freezer jam is uncooked (or cooked less than 5 minutes), then stored frozen. It is popular in parts of North America for its very fresh taste. [REDACTED] The category of fruit preserve referred to as a jelly (from the French gelée ) is a clear or translucent fruit spread made by
6300-426: The jam still needs to be heated briefly to 95 to 100 °C (203 to 212 °F) for safety, to kill pathogens that would otherwise proliferate. During commercial filling it is common to use a flame to sterilize the rim and lid of jars to destroy any yeasts and molds which could cause spoilage during storage. Steam is commonly injected immediately before lidding; when the steam condenses after lidding it creates
6390-459: The land area of the Earth , excluding Greenland and Antarctica . Grasses are also an important part of the vegetation in many other habitats, including wetlands , forests and tundra . Though they are commonly called "grasses", groups such as the seagrasses , rushes and sedges fall outside this family. The rushes and sedges are related to the Poaceae, being members of the order Poales , but
6480-453: The latest Cretaceous ( Maastrichtian ) aged Lameta Formation of India have pushed this date back to 66 million years ago. In 2011, fossils from the same deposit were found to belong to the modern rice tribe Oryzeae , suggesting substantial diversification of major lineages by this time. In 2018, a study described grass microfossils extracted from the teeth of the hadrosauroid dinosaur Equijubus normani from northern China, dating to
6570-615: The latter term, when used agriculturally, refers to both cereals and similar seeds of other plant species, such as buckwheat and legumes ). Three cereals—rice, wheat, and maize (corn)—provide more than half of all calories consumed by humans. Cereals constitute the major source of carbohydrates for humans and perhaps the major source of protein; these include rice (in southern and eastern Asia ), maize (in Central and South America ), and wheat and barley (in Europe , northern Asia and
6660-463: The leaves are attached. Grass leaves are nearly always alternate and distichous (in one plane), and have parallel veins. Each leaf is differentiated into a lower sheath hugging the stem and a blade with entire (i.e., smooth) margins. The leaf blades of many grasses are hardened with silica phytoliths , which discourage grazing animals; some, such as sword grass , are sharp enough to cut human skin. A membranous appendage or fringe of hairs called
6750-469: The lemma and palea; these are generally interpreted to be modified sepals. The fruit of grasses is a caryopsis , in which the seed coat is fused to the fruit wall. A tiller is a leafy shoot other than the first shoot produced from the seed. Grass blades grow at the base of the blade and not from elongated stem tips. This low growth point evolved in response to grazing animals and allows grasses to be grazed or mown regularly without severe damage to
6840-496: The mixture reaches a temperature of 104 °C (219 °F), the acid and the pectin in the fruit react with the sugar, and the jam will set on cooling. Most home cooks work by trial and error rather than temperature measurement, bringing the mixture to a "fast rolling boil ", watching to see if the seething mass changes texture , and dropping small samples on a plate to see if they run or set. Commercially produced jams are usually produced using one of two methods. The first
6930-408: The natural pectin content of the ingredients. When making jam with low-pectin fruits like strawberries, high-pectin fruit like orange can be added, or additional pectin in the form of pectin powder, citric acid or citrus peels. Often the fruit will be heated gently in a pan to release its juices (and pectin), sometimes with a little added water, before the sugar is added. Another method is to macerate
7020-459: The natural acidity of the fruit, a chemical to adjust the pH, and/or an antifoaming agent . Jelly with pectin must be made with a minimum of 62% water-soluble solids and a minimum of 32% juice of the named fruit, and may contain an acid ingredient that compensates for the lack in the natural acidity of the fruit; the additional juice of another fruit; a gelling agent; food color; a Class II preservative (such as benzoates , sorbates , or nitrites );
7110-633: The natural pectin level found in the fruit. Fruit jam with pectin need only contain 27% fruit and is allowed to contain added acidity to compensate for the natural acidity of the fruit. In Canada , the Food and Drug Regulations of the Food and Drugs Act of Canada categorizes jelly into two types: jelly, and jelly with pectin . Jelly may be made from the fruit, the fruit juice, or a fruit juice concentrate, and must contain at least 62% water-soluble solids. Jelly may contain an acid ingredient that makes up for any lack in
7200-448: The origin tale " Brother and sister who became the Sun and Moon " is also called "The reason sorghum is red". In the tale, a tiger who is chasing a brother and sister follows them up a rotten rope as they climb into the sky, and become the sun and moon. The rope breaks, and the tiger falls to its death, impaling itself on a sorghum stalk, which becomes red with its blood. In Northeastern Italy in
7290-530: The pH tolerance ranging from 5.0 to 8.5. It requires an arable field that has been left fallow for at least two years or where crop rotation with legumes has taken place in the previous year. Diversified 2- or 4-year crop rotation can improve sorghum yield, additionally making it more resilient to inconsistent growth conditions. In terms of nutrient requirements, sorghum is comparable to other cereal grain crops with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium required for growth. The International Crops Research Institute for
7380-400: The plant. Three general classifications of growth habit present in grasses: bunch-type (also called caespitose), stoloniferous , and rhizomatous . The success of the grasses lies in part in their morphology and growth processes and in part in their physiological diversity. There are both C3 and C4 grasses, referring to the photosynthetic pathway for carbon fixation. The C4 grasses have
7470-622: The relatively short time span of about 4 million years. According to Lester Charles King , the spread of grasses in the Late Cenozoic would have changed patterns of hillslope evolution favouring slopes that are convex upslope and concave downslope and lacking a free face were common. King argued that this was the result of more slowly acting surface wash caused by carpets of grass which in turn would have resulted in relatively more soil creep . There are about 12,000 grass species in about 771 genera that are classified into 12 subfamilies. See
7560-412: The seagrasses are members of the order Alismatales . However, all of them belong to the monocot group of plants. Grasses may be annual or perennial herbs , generally with the following characteristics (the image gallery can be used for reference): The stems of grasses, called culms , are usually cylindrical (more rarely flattened, but not 3-angled) and are hollow, plugged at the nodes , where
7650-512: The set point. As a result of this minimal cooking, some fruits are not particularly suitable for making into conserves, because they require cooking for longer periods to avoid faults such as tough skins and spoiling. Currants and gooseberries , and a number of plums are among these fruits. Because of this shorter cooking period, not as much pectin will be released from the fruit, and consequently conserves, particularly if home-cooked, will sometimes be slightly softer set than some jams. There
7740-459: The tribe Poeae described in 1814 by Robert Brown , and the type genus Poa described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus . The term is derived from the Ancient Greek πόα (póa, "fodder") . Grasses include some of the most versatile plant life-forms . They became widespread toward the end of the Cretaceous period, and fossilized dinosaur dung ( coprolites ) have been found containing phytoliths of
7830-658: The varieties of Southern Africa. In the Middle Ages, the Arab Agricultural Revolution spread sorghum and other crops from Africa and Asia across the Arab world as far as Al-Andalus in Spain. Sorghum remained the staple food of the medieval kingdom of Alodia and most Sub-Saharan cultures prior to European colonialism. Tall varieties of sorghum with a high sugar content are called sweet sorghum; these are useful for producing
7920-686: Was bicolor ; it had tight husks that had to be removed forcibly. Around 4,000 years ago, this spread to the Indian subcontinent; around 3,000 years ago it reached West Africa. Four other races evolved through cultivation to have larger grains and to become free-threshing, making harvests easier and more productive. These were caudatum in the Sahel ; durra , most likely in India; guinea in West Africa (later reaching India), and from that race mageritiferum that gave rise to
8010-689: Was domesticated from its wild ancestor more than 5,000 years ago in Eastern Sudan in the area of the Rivers Atbara and Gash . It has been found at an archaeological site near Kassala in eastern Sudan, dating from 3500 to 3000 BC, and is associated with the neolithic Butana Group culture. Sorghum bread from graves in Predynastic Egypt , some 5,100 years ago, is displayed in the Egyptian Museum, Turin , Italy. The first race to be domesticated
8100-480: Was viewed as a plant that would be productive in the West Indies. The name sorghum derives from Italian sorgo , which in turn most likely comes from 12th century Medieval Latin surgum or suricum . This in turn may be from Latin syricum , meaning "[grass] of Syria". Most varieties of sorghum are drought - and heat-tolerant, nitrogen -efficient, and are grown particularly in arid and semi-arid regions where
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