With its C4 pathway, sugarcane has efficient plant photosynthetic mechanisms, enabling a high coefficient of CO 2 fixation. In addition, to improve the economic prospects of sugar companies and ensure good environmental health,

We showed that black soldier fly larvae reared on fruits and vegetables rich in provitamin A carotenoids can accumulate significant amounts of these vitamin A precursors. Using a simulated gastro-intestinal digestion model, we demonstrated that α-and β-carotene from the larvae are as bioaccessible as from the fruits and vegetables they were reared on. We calculated that provitamin A carotenoid-rich larvae have the capacity to provide more vitamin A than fruits and vegetables rich in these molecules. Remarkably, the incorporation of usual quantities of these larvae in feed could cover the needs of several production animals for this vitamin. Thus, our findings suggest that rearing black soldier fly larvae on by-products or waste rich in provitamin A carotenoids could be a sustainable strategy to recycle a fraction of vitamin A back into the food chain and could represent a new approach to fight against vitamin A deficiency.

all rights reserved trasting pedoclimatic areas and from five anatomical parts were scanned and then analysed by biochemical fractionation. Different calibration methods, resulting in a combination of multiple linear regressions (MLR) applied to three calibration sets (fine, coarse and mixed particle sizes) treated with six data pretreatments-first derivative (D), second derivative (D²), multiplicative scatter correction (MSC), standard normal variate and detrend (SNVD), standard normal variate and detrend successively followed by first derivative (SNVD-D) or second derivative (SNVD-D²)-were investigated. The best NIR model statistical values were obtained by calibration developed on a mixed calibration set treated by SNVD-D². Results confirmed that NIR spectroscopy could be an accurate and efficient method to predict lignocellulosic compounds in different botanical parts of sugarcane samples when used as input to an ecophysiological growth model.

Sugarcane is a multipurpose crop whose components may be used, in addition to sugar production, for various energy carriers or end-products (electricity, liquid biofuels and heat) which enhance its economic potential. For many years, plant breeders and agronomists have focused on increasing sucrose yields per hectare and millers on increasing recoverable sucrose per ton of sugarcane in sugar mills. Attempting to exploit the energy potential of sugarcane more fully, calls for a more holistic approach focusing on both sucrose and lignocellulosic components of sugarcane biomass, and gaining some insight into the management practices required to optimize sugarcane cropping systems in these respects. Such options include genotype selection, harvest date with respect to the crop's growing cycle, crop type (plant crop vs. ratoon crops) and harvesting systems (mechanical vs. manual). The effects of these factors are strongly modulated by climate and soil properties, and these interactions are overall poorly known. Here, we set out to examine sugarcane infield management 9 environmental interactions with respect to (i) sugarcane yield and partitioning of the aboveground biomass; and (ii) sugarcane milling products (recoverable sucrose yield and amounts of coproducts) and their derived energy carriers. Three Saccharum cv. cultivars (R570, R579 and R585) were planted in three locations on La Reunion Island with contrasting management practices and climatological conditions. Quality characteristics of the samples were assessed by conventional and near infrared spectroscopy methods. Product, coproducts and potential energy production were measured and computed using transfer equations and a mill-operating model. Yields and quality characteristics from cultivars and harvesting systems were affected differently by environmental factors -low temperature and radiation, and water stress. The current study also provides valuable information on how combinations between environments, genotypes and practices affect yield and partitioning of the aboveground biomass, and food and energy production.

Cet article présente une activité de recherche visant à définir une méthode systématique, rigoureuse et répétable permettant d'évaluer la sécurité d'un système de transport ferroviaire. Cette recherche est menée au sein de la RATP en collaboration avec la société ClearSy.

Une opération de balayage laser aéroporté à haute densité a permis de modéliser la hauteur du couvert forestier d'un site expérimental en forêt néotropicale (à Paracou en Guyane française). La hauteur des arbres individuels a été calculée par segmentation manuelle des houppiers sur le modèle numérique de canopée et extraction de la hauteur maximale locale du couvert forestier. Trois cent quatrevingt-seize estimations de hauteur d'arbres dominants ou émergents ont été mises en relation avec les données de terrain correspondantes pour les diamètres des tiges échantillonnées sur deux placettes de hauteur moyenne différente (28,1 m et 31,3 m). Les résultats montrent une corrélation positive et très significative entre l'élancement des tiges et la hauteur moyenne du couvert à l'échelle des placettes. La même corrélation apparaît à l'échelle des peuplements des trois essences suffisamment échantillonnées. Il est possible de conclure qu'une stratification selon la hauteur du couvert est à recommander dans le calcul de relations allométriques afin d'éviter les biais dans les estimations de biomasse aérienne. ABSTRACT LiDAR SHOWS THAT HIGHER FORESTS HAVE MORE SLENDER TREESHigh-density Airborne Laser Scanning was used to derive the Canopy Height Model (CHM) of an experimental forest site in the neotropics (Paracou, French Guiana). Individual tree heights were computed by manually segmenting tree crowns on the CHM and then extracting the local maximum canopy height. Three hundred and ninety-six (396) height estimates were matched from dominant or emergent trees with the corresponding ground records of stem diameters sampled in two plots with different mean canopy heights (28.1 m vs. 31.3 m). Tree slenderness was found to be positively and very significantly correlated with mean canopy height at the plot level. The same correlation was observed at the species population level for the three species adequately sampled. It can therefore be concluded that stratification by canopy height is to be recommended when deriving allometric relationships in order to avoid bias in Above Ground Biomass estimations. RESUMEN EL SISTEMA LiDAR MUESTRA QUE LOS BOSQUES MÁS ALTOS TIENEN ÁRBOLES MÁS ESBELTOSSe utilizó un barrido láser aerotransportado de alta densidad para modelizar la altura del dosel de una estación experimental en un bosque neotropical (Paracou, Guayana Francesa). La altura individual de los árboles se calculó segmentando manualmente las copas en el modelo para extraer la altura máxima local del dosel. Se cotejaron trescientas noventa y seis (396) estimaciones de altura de árboles dominantes o emergentes con los correspondientes datos de campo en dos parcelas de muestreo con distinta altura promedio de dosel (28,1 m y 31,3 m). Los resultados ponen de manifiesto una correlación positiva y muy significativa entre la esbeltez de los árboles y la altura promedio del dosel a nivel de la parcela. Se observó la misma correlación a nivel de población en las tres especies suficientemente muestreadas. Puede concluirse que es aconsejable ...