Pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomasses, the first step in their conversion to utilizable molecules requires very high energy (steam and electricity), corrosion resistant high-pressure reactors and high temperatures. These severe conditions not only add to the cost component of the entire process but also lead to the loss of sugars to the side reactions. Microbial pretreatments have been reported to be associated with reducing the cost factors as well as the severities of the reactions. Eight bioagents, including fungi and bacteria, were screened for their pretreatment effects on sugarcane trash. They narrowed down the C:N ratio of trash from 108:1 to a varying range of approximately 42:1 to 60:1.The maximum drop in C:N ratio of 61% was observed using Aspergillus terreus followed by Cellulomonas uda (52%) and Trichoderma reesei and Zymomonas mobilis (49%). The bioagents helped in degradation of sugarcane trash by production of cellulases, the maximum being produced by A. terreus, (12 fold) followed by C. uda (10 fold), Cellulomonas cartae (9 fold) and Bacillus macerans (8 fold). The microbial pretreatment of trash rendered the easy accessibility of sugars for enzymatic hydrolysis, which can be directed for production of alcohol.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

The nitrogen fixing bacterial endophytes Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus and Herbaspirillum spp. have been proposed to benefit sugarcane (Saccaharum spp. hybrids) growth. Variable populations of these endophytes exist depending upon ontogenic and climatic variations as well. This study investigates the effect of variable chemical nitrogen application in soil on the population of endophytic diazotrophs, acetylene reduction ability of excised roots, plant N-nutrient use efficiency and probable interactions among different parameters in eight commercial sugarcane varieties of subtropical India. Recovery efficiency (RE), agronomic efficiency (AE), partial factor productivity (PFP) and physiologic efficiency (PE) indicators were used for accounting N-nutrient use efficiency. The population of G. diazotrophicus was more at N 75 compared to N 0 and N 150 , whereas Herbaspirillum population increased from N 0 to N 150 . ARA was positively correlated with Gluconacetobacter population in rhizosphere and root, whereas it had poor correlation with Herbaspirillum population. Positive correlation of RE and AE with ARA of roots, Gluconacetobacter and Herbaspirillum populations in roots and stems indicate their positive contribution in total nitrogen uptake by the plant per kg of N applied. Average PFP was 808.9 at N 75 compared to 408.7 at N 150 indicating that N was utilized efficiently at low N input status in sugarcane. Strong positive correlations of AE 75 (agronomic efficiency from 75 kg N ha -1 to 150 kg N ha -1 ) with N-uptake (r 2 = 0.615), cane yield (r 2 = 0.758) and PFP (r 2 = 0.758) and other parameters compared to AE (agronomic efficiency from 0 kg N ha -1 to 75 kg N ha -1 or 150 kg N ha -1 ) correlations with N-uptake (r 2 = 0.111), cane yield (r 2 = 0.368) and PFP (r 2 = 0.190) indicated that the AE of sugarcane was strongly directed towards producing more cane yield per unit of N fertilizer once the sugarcane plant has established using initial dose of nitrogen and thus AE 75 seems to be a more appropriate indicator for accounting N-nutrient use efficiency in sugarcane.

No abstract

A 3-year field trial of sugarcane, comprising 11 treatment combinations of different organic manures with and without Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus (Gd), NPK and an absolute control, on an inceptisol was conducted to assess the effect of these treatments on sugarcane total and economic yield, the benefit:cost ratio, nutrient balance and soil quality in a sugarcane plant-ratoon system. The highest cane yield (78.6 t ha À1 ) was recorded in the plant crop given vermicompost + Gd, whereas ratoon yields (first and second) were highest (80.8 and 74.9 t/ha À1 , respectively) with sulphitation press mud cake (SPMC) + Gd. In both plant and ratoon crops, a number of different organic manures produced the highest cane yield that was also statistically similar to those obtained with using the recommended NPK levels (76.1, 78.2 and 71.7 t/ha for plant crop and subsequent two ratoons, respectively). The highest benefit:cost (B:C) ratio in the plant and two ratoon crops (1.28, 2.36, 2.03 respectively) were obtained with the addition of SPMC + Gd. The nutrient balance for NPK in the soil was highest in the SPMC + Gd treatment. The highest increase in organic C (94%) and total N (87%), in comparison to the initial level, and soil microbial biomass C (113%) and soil microbial biomass N (229%), in comparison to the control treatment, was recorded with the addition of SPMC + Gd. The maximum decrease in soil bulk density (BD) (12%) with an increase in soil aggregate (17%) and water infiltration rate (35%) was obtained with the addition of SPMC. Overall, the sugarcane crop responded well to different organic manures in a multiple ratooning system with a better economic output and improved soil quality. Strategic planning in terms of an integrated application of these manures with inorganic chemicals will not only sustain our soils but will also be beneficial for our farmers in terms of reducing their dependence and expenditure on chemical fertilizers.