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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Commodity Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #226482
Title: Potential biomass quantity and sugar processing quality of trash and stalk tissues by different US sugarcane varieties

Author
item Eggleston, Gillian
item Grisham, Michael
item Tew, Thomas
item TRICHE, RON - SPRI, NEW ORLEANS, LA
item Antoine, April

Submitted to: International Sugar Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2008
Publication Date: 3/1/2009
Citation: Eggleston, G., Grisham, M., Tew, T., Triche, R., Antoine, A. 2009. Potential biomass quantity and sugar processing quality of trash and stalk tissues by different US sugarcane varieties. International Sugar Journal. 111(1322):108-118.

Interpretive Summary: The effect of the world-wide change from burnt to unburnt “green” sugarcane harvesting on processing has not been fully characterized. Therefore, few solutions to minimize the detrimental processing effects of trash (leaves and tops) have been developed or implemented. Whole-stalks from five commercial Louisiana sugarcane varieties were harvested. Four sample tissues were collected: brown, dry leaves (BL), green leaves (GL), growing point region (GPR), and stalk (S) and juice extracted from each tissue type. Total trash content (GPR + GL + BL) ranged from 16.4 to 19.8%. Before BL fell from the field stalks, inorganic nutrients (ash) went back into the S. Stalk delivers the highest amount of the starch to the factory just because of its much higher weight than other tissues. Factory delivery of starch by stalks should not be underestimated.

Technical Abstract: The effect of the world-wide change from burnt to unburnt “green” sugarcane harvesting on processing has not been fully characterized. Therefore, few solutions to minimize the detrimental processing effects of trash (leaves and tops) have been developed or implemented. Whole-stalks from the first ratoon crop of five commercial Louisiana sugarcane varieties (LCP 85-384, HoCP 96-540, L 97-128, L 99-226, and L 99-233) with varying yield and harvest characteristics, including lodging and leaf sheath adherence, were harvested on 17 November 2006. Four sample tissues from four replicates were collected: brown, dry leaves (BL), green leaves (GL), growing point region (GPR) or apical internodes, and stalk (S). Juice was extracted from each tissue type. Total trash content (GPR + GL + BL) ranged from 16.4 to 19.8% with variety and, generally, reflected leaf sheath adherence. Before BL fell from the field stalks, inorganic nutrients (ash) were re-assimilated into the S. Thus, even though varieties ability to “self-remove” or “shuck” BL in the field before harvesting is a minor selection criterion in breeding programs, there is no net loss in inorganic nutrients being delivered to the factory. Starch concentrations in the S were low, but when calculated on a percent tissue weight basis it was observed that the S delivers a considerable amount of the starch to the factory just because of its much higher weight than other tissues. Therefore, factory delivery of starch by stalks should not be underestimated. On a percent tissue weight basis, S and GL delivered the most total soluble polysaccharides to the factory. A significant correlation (R2=0.63, P<.05) only existed between starch and total polysaccharides in the GL tissue, indicating other polysaccharides than starch are predominant in S, GPR, and BL.