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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Canal Point, Florida » Sugarcane Field Station » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #327181
Title: Breeding Energy Cane Cultivars as a Biomass Feedstock for Coal Replacement

Author
item Gordon, Vanessa
item Abbott, Thomas
item SANDHU, HARDEV - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Biomass and Bioenergy
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/5/2016
Publication Date: 4/14/2016
Citation: Gordon, V.S., Abbott, T.E., Sandhu, H.S., Hale, A.L. 2016. Breeding Energy Cane Cultivars as a Biomass Feedstock for Coal Replacement . Biomass and Bioenergy. PRESENTATION DATE.

Interpretive Summary: N/A

Technical Abstract: Research and advanced breeding have demonstrated that energy cane possesses all of the attributes desirable in a biofuel feedstock: extremely good biomass yield in a small farming footprint; negative/neutral carbon footprint; maximum outputs from minimum inputs; well-established growing model for farming; and it is bred for cultivation on marginal soils, avoiding competition with croplands dedicated to food commodities. The USDA-ARS Sugarcane Field Station at Canal Point (CP) is the premiere sugarcane breeding station in the United States. As demand for lignocellulosic sources increases, CP will become a major source of energy cane cultivars in this country. Strategic matings incorporating a wide range of germplasm, rigid disease screening protocols, and well-designed field trials have led to rapid improvement in CP clone cultivars; with several clones exceeding yield rates of 220 tons per hectare. One of the missions of the CP energy cane program is to create high yielding biomass clones which can resist abiotic stresses, and carry the robust disease tolerances typically found in our breeding programs. As energy cane responds differently to varying environments, it is the goal of CP to identify and collaborate with industry and academic sources across the country to augment the facilitation of trialing and identification of geo-specific clones, and compilation of a germplasm portfolio tailored for diverse growing areas.