Sugarcane [physiological characteristics, yield potential and climatic and environment factors]
1983
Irvine, J.E.
Sugarcane, a perennial grass is grown on 12 million hectares in 79 countries from lat. 36.7 degrees N to 31 degrees S. The world average annual yield of sugarcane stalks is 56 t/h. From the largest harvested mass of any field crop, sugarcane is reduced to sucrose and molasses for consumption and to fiber for fuel. Acclaimed as leading performer in the photosynthetic conversion of light to chemical energy, sugarcane has photosynthesis rates as high as 100 mg/dm2 per hour carbon dioxide fixation. However, high rates per unit of leaf area have not been correlated with high yield. More significant is the high rate of photosynthesis per unit of land area, largely influenced by leaf area index (LAI), population density, and somewhat by cropage. While sugarcane grows more slowly than some other C-4 grasses, its high biomass production is due in part to a long growing season. The total dry matter production rate of sugarcane is 20 g/m2 per day, or 75 t/h per year. Its theoretical maximum yield is 36 g/m2 per day or 129 t/ha per year. Economic yields of sucrose average 4.7 t/ha per year, maximum commercial yields average 15 t/ha per year. Expressed as the ratio of economic yield to total dry matter yield, the harvest index for sugarcane can be 0.2 for sucrose only, or 0.99 for all sugars including fiber for fuel
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