Author
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LYN, MARGARET |
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Submitted to: American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 3/2/2005 Publication Date: 6/22/2005 Citation: Lyn, M.E. 2005. Use of ft-ir spectroscopy to monitor trash decompositon in the sugar cane industry (abstract). American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Post harvested cane trash, if left unburnt, impedes the growth of emerging ratoons and reduces sugar yields in comparison to unhindered ratoons. Approximately 75% of dry cane trash is decomposable fibre--36% Cellulose, 21%Hemicellulose, 16% Lignin. One alternative for the removal of cane trash would be to exploit the natural microbial decomposition process by increasing the microbial population to expedite the decomposition rate. Effective trash removal by microbial decomposition requires microbes with high enzyme activity towards each fibre component. Ideally, such microbes should be native to the region of intended use. Once collected, their enzyme activity and specificity towards components of cane trash should be determined. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy is being used in agriculture to monitor leaf senescence and ripening of fruits, study polysaccharides and hemicelluloses in isolated cell walls, analyze forage, study biotic and abiotic disorders in leaves, etc. Here, we report the first mid-IR analysis of biotically semi-decomposed cane trash. The study was conducted to determine whether IR spectroscopy could be used as a tool to quickly screen the enzymatic activity towards cane trash fibre of isolated microbes. |
