Sugarcane: The Crop, the Plant, and Domestication

Abstract

Sugarcane, a significant component of the economy of many countries in the tropics and subtropics, is a large, tropical grass that stores sucrose in its stem and serves as an important food and bioenergy crop. It has long been recognized as one of the world's most efficient crops in converting solar energy into chemical energy harvestable as sucrose and biomass. Current taxonomy divides sugarcane into six species, two of which are wild and always recognized (Saccharum spontaneum L. and Saccharum robustum Brandes and Jewiet ex Grassl). The other species are cultivated and classified variously. Of the four domesticated species of sugarcane, S. officinarum L. was the first named and is the primary species for production of sugar. Recent genomic data for evaluating genetic diversity within Saccharum suggest relationships among accessions that may ultimately produce a definitive classification for the group. Cultivated sugarcanes of today are complex interspecific hybrids primarily between Saccharum officinarum, known as the noble cane, and Saccharum spontaneum, with contributions from S. robustum, S. sinense, S. barberi, and related grass genera such as Miscanthus, Narenga, and Erianthus. Understanding the source and range of diversity of sugarcane species and cultivars can enable breeders in the development of new varieties improved for high productivity with low inputs and wide adaptation to varied environments.

Energy Cane: Its Concept, Development, Characteristics, and Prospects

“…The species S. officinarum is a juicy sugary form not known in the wild state, found growing in the gardens of aborigines in the Papua-New Guinea region, that is, in strictly tropical conditions (high humidity and constant high temperatures), and later utilized by the sugar industry as commercial forms (e.g., [46,49,50]), whereas S. spontaneum is a grassy wild species encountered growing naturally in diverse environments from Africa to Southeast Asia and Pacific islands (e.g., [51][52][53][54]). Its evolution in such contrasting environments has generated a widely diverse gene pool adapted to a vast range of environments, including resistance to many diseases that attack sugarcane.…”

“…Its evolution in such contrasting environments has generated a widely diverse gene pool adapted to a vast range of environments, including resistance to many diseases that attack sugarcane. These characteristics were incorporated by introgression into the S. officinarum genome in the pioneering breeding in Java (today Indonesia) in the late 19th century and later followed by the Indians and other breeding centers (e.g., [46,50,55,56]). Concerning energy cane, if one looks for higher biomass production a penalty must be paid in terms of sugar content, at least if considering the traditional sugarcane ideotype.…”

“…Modern sugarcane cultivars are complex poly-, alloaneuploids comprising the genome of S. officinarum, varying proportions of S. spontaneum chromosomes (10−23%), and 8 to 13% of recombinant or translocated chromosomes ( [45]; see revision in [46]). …”

Effect of gypsum application on agro-energy performance of sugarcane varieties cultivated in a semi-arid environment

“…Lignin is the component richest in carbon, making sugarcane stems the best part for energy production (Samson et al, 2005;Moore et al, 2013). However, during field experimentation after full stem growth, water stress acted to reduce the lignin content of the three varieties.…”

Analysis of genes controlling biomass traits in the genome of sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids)

“…On average, about 64% of the aboveground dry biomass recovered in sugarcane production is from the sugarcane culm, while the rest (~36%) is from the trash (leaves) (reviewed in Singh, 2010). In the sugarcane culm-derived biomass, the major components are sugars (mostly sucrose) and fiber (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin), as reviewed in Canilha et al (2012), and Moore et al (2013). As shown in Chapter 3, these two components, together with other insoluble matter (all known as total solids) make up about 22-39% of the fresh weight, while on a dry biomass basis, the sugar content ranges from 29 to 64% and fiber content from 29 to 61%.…”