# 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 2 nd 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 toleranceErianthus

Miscanthus

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 ratoonFreeze Tolerance Frost Tolerance



## Cold ToleranceStarkville Auburn Tifton Gainesville Booneville

Houma Beaumont Parlier

Gainesville College Station

Baton Rouge Lane Raymond Raleigh ProsserL 99-233 US 72-114 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 fiber28 32 18 29 30 24 13 11 14 13 12 10

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

L

7 9 - 1 0 0 2 H o 0 2 - 1 1 3 H o 0 3 - 1 9 H o 0 3 - 4 8 H o 9 9 - 5 1 H o 9 9 - 5 8BiomassYield(Mg/ha) 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 06-9002Estimated 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/Erianthu s  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. s pontaneum 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 CP65-357SES 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