Leoti for Starch

Authors

R. L. Cushing

Date of this Version

5-1942

Document Type

Article

Citation

Cushing, R. L. (1942). Leoti for starch (University of Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station Circular No. 69)

Comments

ISSN 0099-5460 (print)

ISSN 2690-8034 (online)

Abstract

The popular forage crop, Leoti sorghum, has possibilities of becoming an important special purpose grain crop for industrial utilization. Investigations of the Department of Agricultural Chemistry have shown that starch manufactured from the waxy grain of this variety has properties similar to those of tapioca starch. Tapioca starch, made from the roots of the cassava plant, has been imported by the United States to the extent of 175,000 tons annually. The chief source of supply, the Dutch East Indies, has been eliminated by the war, and domestic substitutes are being urgently sought by the industry. This type of starch is in special demand for the manufacture of adhesives used on postage stamps and envelopes, for sizings used in the textile and paper industries, and for food in the form of tapioca. Since all of these uses have some relation to the war effort, it is readily apparent that this material is of critical importance.