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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Houma, Louisiana » Sugarcane Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #281646
Title: Sugarcane and Energycane

Author
item FAGERIA, N - Embrapa
item MOREIRA, A - Embrapa
item MORAES, L - Embrapa
item Hale, Anna
item Viator, Ryan

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/5/2012
Publication Date: 5/16/2013
Citation: Fageria, N.K., Moreira, L.A., Hale, A.L., Viator, R.P. 2013. Sugarcane and energycane. In: Singh, B. (ed.) Biofuel Crops: Production, Physiology and Genetics. CABI, Walingford UK. p. 151 - 171.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: “Energycane” is a term that is used to describe sugarcane grown solely for the production of renewable energy. A Type I energycane has somewhat lower sugar content (10-14%) and higher fiber content (14-20%) than a commercial sugarcane cultivar bred for sugar production. In contrast, a Type II energycane is selected for high biomass (total cane yield) and expresses a low sugar content (<10%), and high fiber content (>20%). Sustainable production of cane in non-traditional cane growing areas will likely be a key to the success of a cane-based biofuel industry, and the broad genetic base of sugarcane will make it an attractive option for feedstock producers. Saccharum spontaneum will continue to be a major contributing source of genes for adaptability of the crop. A dedicated basic breeding program was established in Houma, Louisiana, USA at the USDA-ARS Sugarcane Research Unit (SRU) in 1965 with the objective of broadening the genetic diversity in the parents used to produce new cane cultivars. The biomass breeding program now runs in parallel with this basic breeding program, yet special selections strategies are being used for developing cane with different end uses. Cold tolerance is one of the most important traits considered when breeding cane for biomass feedstock. Most energycanes are derived from wide crosses between commercial sugarcane (a complex hybrid of S. officinarum L., S. spontaneum L., S. barberi Jeswiet, and S. sinense Roxb. Amend. Jeswiet) genotypes and the wild species, S. spontaneum L. To date, four energycane cultivars have been released from the energycane program in Louisiana (L 79-1002, HoCP 00-961, HoCP 91-552, and Ho 02-113).