Sugar/Energy Canes 

as Biofuels Feedstocks

USDA-ARS Sugarcane Research Laboratory

Houma, LA

Dr. Ed Richard

Edward.Richard@ars.usda.gov

Dr. Anna Hale

Anna.Hale@ars.usda.gov
Sugar cane as a bio-energy crop

Raw Sugar

Bagasse

Leaf Litter

Molasses
What is Energy Cane ?

• Type 1 : Hybrids of commercial Saccharum varieties, but fiber levels 

too high for raw sugar extraction

• Type 2 : First (F1) and 2nd generation (BC1) crosses of production 

Saccharum with S. spontaneum, miscanthus or erianthus

• High biomass yields (30 + dry Mt/ha)

 Fiber: 18 – 24%

 Moderate soluble solids (Brix): 8 – 14%

• Perennial growth and consistent yields 

over 5 to 6 annual harvests (ratooning)

• Cold tolerance (shoot and stalk )

• High water & nutrient use efficiency

• Flood tolerance
Miscanthus Erianthus

Energy 

Cane

L 79-1001 L 79-1002
Typical selection traits:

 Brix

 Pol

 Fiber

 Tonnage

 Sugar/hectare

 Stubbling ability/machine harvesting

 Disease and insect resistance

 Adaptability

 Cold tolerance (frost and freezes)
2007 Maturity Study

First ratoon
 

Freeze Tolerance

Frost Tolerance

Cold Tolerance
Starkville

Auburn

Tifton

Gainesville

Booneville

Houma Beaumont

Parlier

College Station Gainesville

Baton Rouge

Lane

Raymond

Raleigh

Prosser
US 72-114 L 99-233 Ho 02-144

Ho 06-9002

Starkville, MS

Ho 06-9002
High-fiber sugarcane varieties

Yield

(t/ha)

L

79-1002

HoCP 

91-552

Ho 

00-961

LCP

85-384

Cane 

(wet)

82.2 87.1 77.5 70.6

Cane 

(dry)

31.3 28.7 26.7 22.8

Brix 10.5 (13%) 14.8 (17%) 13.7 (17%) 13.2 (18%)

Fiber 20.8 (26%) 13.9 (16%) 13.0 (16%) 9.6 (13%)

Ethanol

(L/ha)*

12,720 12,850 11,940 10,530

* Ethanol yield based on 558 L/MT Brix (80% sucrose)

and 330 L/MT fiber
28 32

18

29 30

24

13

11

14 13

12

10

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

L 79-1002Ho 02-113Ho 03-19Ho 03-48Ho 99-51Ho 99-58

Bio

m

a

s

s

Yield

(

M

g

/

h

a

)

Brix

Fiber

2

nd Generation Hybrids
Sugar/Energy Cane as a Dedicated Biofeedstock

Advantages:

Highest energy yield

Perennial, noninvasive

Diverse genetic makeup

Does not flower in temperate 

climates

Dual Substrates: Fiber + Sugar

Consistent annual yields (5+ 

harvests)

Fairly long harvest season –

weather impact minimal

Low nutrient requirements

Can be grown on less productive 

soils

200+ year-old biomass handling 

industry

Disadvantages:

Vegetatively propagated

Crushing required

Ho 06-9002
Estimated potential energy cane area: 3,800,000 acres

(base acreage: 18,200,000 acres)
Integrated Production System

Aug. – Sep.: harvest sweet sorghum

 Oct. – Feb.: harvest sugar and/or energy canes 

 Mar. – Jun.: harvest Miscanthus/Erianthus 

Jul.: facility maintenance

• All can be grown and harvested using 

conventional sugarcane equipment 

• Except for sorghum, all are perennials

Tropical Maize ?

Tropical Sugar Beets ?
Florida Energy Cane Research 

and Development

USDA-ARS Sugarcane Field Station (SFS)

Canal Point, Florida

Dr. Jack C. Comstock

jack.comstock@ars.usda.gov

Dr. Serge J. Edmé

serge.edme@ars.usda.gov
Florida Energy Cane Project 

• USDA-ARS Sugarcane Field 

Station (USDA-ARS SFS) & 

University of Florida IFASEREC (Dr. Robert Gilbert)

– 40+ year relationship

• Florida Sugarcane League

• Initial work – clones 

selected from ARS-SFS 

historical “cold tolerant” 

collection (S. spontaneum x 

com. sugarcane hybrids)
Florida Energy Cane Project 

• Initiated continuous bio-energy germplasm 

program in 2008

– ARS

• Crossing and planting seedlings (6,500 unique 

genotypes each year)

• 170 selected for Stage I field testing

– Univ. of Florida

• Yield testing

– Stage I, 170 clones three locations, 2 replications

– Stage II, 30-35 clones, three locations, 2 replications

– Stage III (Fall 2010), 8-10 clones, three locations, 4 replications 

• Clones suitable for commercial “sugar” 

cultivars (high brix) transferred to that 

program 
Proteome mapping 
Protein profiling

 SES 234 CP65-357 SES 234 CP65-357
SES 234 CP 65-357
Florida Energy Cane Project

• Continuous Genotype 

Development Program

• Many genotypes in 

pipeline

• Protein profiling

• Four high-fiber clones 

near release for Florida

– yields equal or better 

than Houma L 79-1002

– disease resistant

• Expand program to 

northern FL

• Extend the range of CP 

“sugar” cultivars

• Linkage mapping & 

microsatellite markers

• Varietal “types” geared 

for different biorefinery 

configurations

– high fiber, no sucrose

– high fiber, some sucrose

Current Future