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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Houma, Louisiana » Sugarcane Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #341905
Title: Effect of sugarcane ripener glyphosate (Roundup PowerMAX® II) on growth and biomass characteristics of energy cane

Author
item PINNAMANENI, S - LSU Agcenter
item BARRETO, E - LSU Agcenter
item BARRIOS, K - LSU Agcenter
item ORGERON, A - LSU Agcenter
item KIMBENG, C - LSU Agcenter
item PONTIF, M - LSU Agcenter
item OLIVERIA, A - LSU Agcenter
item JIFON, J - Texas A&M Agrilife
item Hale, Anna

Submitted to: American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/18/2017
Publication Date: 6/14/2017
Citation: Pinnamaneni, S.R., Barreto, E., Barrios, K., Orgeron, A.J., Kimbeng, C.A., Pontif, M.J., Oliveria, A., Jifon, J., Hale, A.L. 2017. Effect of sugarcane ripener glyphosate (Roundup PowerMAX® II) on growth and biomass characteristics of energy cane [abstract]. Journal of the American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists. 37:28-29.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Energy cane is considered as one of the most promising feedstock for the emerging bioenergy industry. A random set of 42 energy cane clones bred by the USDA-ARS Sugarcane Research Unit at Houma, LA were taken from a second clonal stage trial and evaluated during 2015-16 at the LSU AgCenter’s Sugar Research Station in St. Gabriel in a randomized complete block design with six replications to assess the impact of sugarcane ripener glyphosate (polado) on energy cane. The rationale of the study was to determine if glyphosate could be useful as a management tool to manipulate traits of economic importance in energy cane. The first three replications of the first ratoon crop were sprayed with glyphosate at 24 Oz/acre in September and the entire experiment was harvested in October, 2016. Spraying of glyphosate reduced significantly (P>0.05) (sprayed vs control) the moisture content (67.79 vs 69.41%), fiber content (16.62 vs 17.26%) while the differences observed for dry matter yield (7.0 vs 6.02 t/acre) and cane yield (21.81 t/acre vs 19.94 t/acre) were non-significant. However, significant gain in sugar yield was observed (3627 vs 2525 lb/acre), probably due to sharp increase in the contributing parameters such as brix (19.32 vs 16.77 %), purity (67.46 vs 62.40%), pol (57.37 vs 45.63%), sucrose (13.31 vs 10.72%) and total recoverable sucrose (165.81 vs 125.80 Ibs/ton). Among the biomass composition traits, except for extractives (sprayed vs control) (10.26 % vs 8.8%) which saw a significant increase, other traits such as cellulose (31.14 % vs 31.43%), hemicellulose (19.44 vs 19.83%), lignin (14.03 vs 17.40%), total cellulosic fiber (64.60 vs 67.51%) tended to decrease significantly (P>0.05) with polado application while ash levels were unaffected (3.85 vs 3.89%). The calculated ethanol yield per acre was enhanced by 19.83% (578.79 vs 483.01 gallons) in the polado treated plots. Only three clones seems to contain the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandated adjusted cellulosic content of = 75%, indicating the need for breeding energy canes with high fiber content to benefit the cellulosic biofuel industry. In conclusion, glyphosate can be used to manipulate both the agronomic and quality parameters of energy cane to enhance its economic value.