Sugar Tech最新文献

The India Sugar & Bio-Energy Conference 2025 highlighted the transformative trajectory of India’s sugar industry as it shifts from a traditional sugar-production model to a diversified, technology-driven, and sustainability-oriented bioenergy ecosystem. The conference emphasised strategic policy frameworks, green-energy expansion, and emerging technological innovations that collectively aim to strengthen domestic resilience and global competitiveness. Key discussions revolved around balancing sugar availability with ethanol production needs, advancing ethanol blending targets beyond E20, and accelerating India’s leadership in Sustainable Aviation Fuel through robust policy support and expanded production capacity. Evidence was presented on the application of artificial intelligence, precision agriculture, and digital supply-chain systems to enhance sugarcane productivity, optimise water and resource management, and improve manufacturing efficiency. Breakthroughs in climate-resilient and high-yield sugarcane breeding, genomics-assisted selection, and integrated biorefinery models demonstrated pathways for sustainable intensification and reduced varietal development cycles. Market insights revealed evolving patterns in domestic sugar consumption, rising institutional demand, and increased penetration of branded and value-added sugar products. The conference further underscored circular bioeconomy approaches, including Bio-CNG, green hydrogen, bioplastics, and mycoprotein production to diversify revenue streams and reduce environmental impact.

The progression dynamics of sugarcane smut, caused by Sporisorium scitamineum, remain underexplored despite their considerable impact on sugarcane crop productivity. The comprehension of these dynamics contributes to the development of breeding strategies for selection of resistant genotypes and effective disease management. This study analyzed disease progress curves in sugarcane genotypes inoculated with S. scitamineum under controlled greenhouse conditions. Eight genotypes, selected based on Expected Difference from the Parent and classified by their Relative Area Under the Disease Progress Curve (rAUDPC) as susceptible or moderately susceptible, were evaluated for model fit using four epidemiological models (monomolecular, Gompertz, logistic, and exponential) via linear and nonlinear regression analyses. Overall, the disease progress curves showed good fit with the tested models, with the monomolecular and Gompertz standing out as the best fit. These findings are consistent with previous field-based epidemiological studies of sugarcane smut, reinforcing their applicability in greenhouse assessments.

Understanding the breeding potential of parental clones is essential for optimizing crossing strategies in sugarcane breeding. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of introducing the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) methodology into the Japanese sugarcane breeding system by estimating breeding values (BVs) and specific combining ability (SCA) of parental clones and combinations for key traits. Initial estimations were based on datasets from four combining ability tests. The estimated BVs were consistent with field observations of progeny populations; for example, interspecific hybrids and their backcross generations exhibited higher BVs for stalk number but lower BVs for stalk diameter and Brix. Additionally, BVs for Brix were estimated using a historical seedling selection dataset, and a significant correlation was observed between these BVs and Brix data obtained from a recently conducted seedling selection. While a significant correlation was found between BVs estimated from the two datasets, the correlation of SCA values between them was not clear. Considering the broader range of BV variation and higher heritability observed in the seedling selection dataset, it is likely that estimations based on combining ability tests were limited by relatively narrow genetic diversity, whereas historical seedling selections captured a wider spectrum of genetic variation. These results suggest that the BLUP methodology can be effectively introduced and applied in Japanese breeding system. Furthermore, to fully leverage its potential, it is desirable to implement efficient phenotyping techniques for key traits within seedling selection trials, enabling the evaluation of a larger number of parental combinations.

Seed viability and germination potential are crucial factors in sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) breeding and conservation. This study investigated the impact of embryo dehydration on seed viability across 190 Saccharum clones. Seeds were collected from the ICAR-SBI RC Field Gene Bank, Kannur, and germination tests were conducted under controlled conditions. Initial germination rates were low, ranging from 1 to 15% in S. spontaneum and 0–7% in S. officinarum. A significant positive correlation was observed between initial moisture content (6.0–9.0%) and germination percentage. To investigate the impact of time on embryo viability, non-germinating seeds were manually examined for the presence of embryos over a period of 1–5 h. Longitudinal dissection (100 × 2 replications) revealed a progressive decline in fresh embryo counts after 3 h at room temperature, with approximately 50% embryo loss due to dehydration. A standard tetrazolium (TZ) test confirmed embryo viability, which closely aligned with the number of fresh embryos present. SEM provided ultrastructural evidence of dehydration-induced embryo shrinkage after 5 h. Elemental composition analysis indicated similar properties between the embryo and embryo bed, confirming shrinkage, while endosperm composition remained distinct. In non-viable seeds, complete absence of embryo was observed. The study underscored the need for immediate post-harvest seed processing and improved storage techniques to mitigate embryo desiccation. These findings provide critical insights into sugarcane seed physiology, emphasizing the necessity for enhanced preservation methods to improve germplasm conservation and breeding efficiency.

The United States (US) Department of Agriculture (USDA) World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) provides forecasts of US sugar production and consumption, and Mexican sugar production, which are utilized to inform US sugar policy. The accuracy, bias, and efficiency properties of the USDA WASDE sugar forecasts are evaluated from fiscal year (FY) 1992/93 through 2022/23 for the US forecasts and from FY 2009/10 through 2022/23 for the Mexican forecasts. Overall, results show the forecasts are accurate, unbiased, and efficient. Thus, the forecasts are valuable to USDA’s execution of US sugar policy and provide a public service to sugar-using firms.

Effect of maltodextrin concentration (10–20%), inlet temperature (150–180 °C), feed flow rate (10–20 mL/min) and atomization pressure (0.1–0.3 MPa) on the yield of sugarcane juice powder (SJP) using Box–Behnken design of response surface methodology was studied. Optimal conditions yielded 41.28% powder recovery at 19.46% maltodextrin, 158.5 °C inlet temperature, 11.02 mL/min feed rate and 0.28 MPa pressure, with a desirability score of 1.000. The optimized sugarcane juice powder showed good flowability (Carr’s Index: 20), high solubility (94%) and favorable physical properties. Reconstituted sugarcane juice powder (SJP1) closely resembled fresh juice in color and composition. Sugarcane juice powder formulated with optimized level of lemon (1.12 mL/L) and ginger (4.4 g/L), (SJP2) exhibited enhanced sensory properties. These results highlight the feasibility of producing shelf-stable, high-quality sugarcane juice powder for commercial applications.

Smut disease in sugarcane, caused by the biotrophic fungus S. scitamineum, is a major challenge in global sugarcane cultivation. The pathogen is airborne and sett-borne, and the fungus establishes in the meristematic tissue of sugarcane plants, leading to the development of whiplike structures as the characteristic symptoms. The teliospores produced in smutted whips are capable of initiating infection in a susceptible host. As a peculiar characteristic of smut fungi, teliospores germinate to produce sporidia, and infection depends on the mating of bipolar sporidia to establish the dikaryotic hyphae that cause the disease. The pathophysiological studies have revealed the alteration in carbon partitioning and energy production, shifting sucrose storage to smut sorus development. The notable auxin mobilization and hormonal imbalances have been reported in infected plants during whip emergence, which denotes the transcriptional reprogramming during infection. Moreover, the overexpression of lignin and invertase biosynthetic genes has been correlated with the proliferative phase of the pathogen in a susceptible host. The studies on host–pathogen interaction revealed the involvement of fungal pathogens effectors, which mimic plant signaling peptides to weaken the immunity and promote disease development. The hot and humid weather and other parameters (wind, light intensity, soil type) contribute to disease initiation and spread based on the prevalence of susceptible hosts in the fields. This review provides a mechanistic insight into epidemiology, infection mechanisms, infection-induced alterations in host physiology and effector biology of S. scitamineum in sugarcane.

The impact of sugarcane harvesting system on phosphorus (P) cycling in highly weathered, acidic soils remains poorly understood, especially in Umbric Rhodic Ferralsols of South Africa. We hypothesized that green cane harvesting would increase P availability and microbial activities compared to pre-harvest burning. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of green cane relative to pre-harvest burning on soil P inorganic fractions, microbial biomass P (MBP), and the activity of acid and alkaline phosphomonoesterase enzyme activities in Umbric Rhodic Ferralsols. Soils were sampled to a 100-cm depth from adjacent fields under pre-harvest burning systems. Inorganic P fractions, Ambic-2 extractable P, MBP, and phosphomonoesterase enzyme activities were measured and analysed using a two-way ANOVA. Green cane harvesting resulted in lower soil pH and higher extractable P, citrate-dithionite-bicarbonate P (CDB-P), and P bound to aluminium (Al-P) fractions compared to pre-harvest burning. MBP was 100% higher (p < 0.001) under green cane. Acid phosphomonoesterase activity was 82% higher (p < 0.001), while alkaline phosphomonoesterase activity was 37% (p = 0.022) lower under green cane than under pre-harvest burning. These findings demonstrate that green cane harvesting enhances P storage, availability, and microbial activity involved in P cycling compared to pre-harvest burning in Umbric Rhodic Ferralsols. Future work should investigate the seasonal dynamics of P availability, MBP, and phosphomonoesterase enzyme activity in relation to sugarcane P uptake.

Sugarcane grassy shoot (SCGS) disease is among the most damaging phytoplasma‑associated disorders of sugarcane across South and South‑east Asia. Whole‑genome sequencing of SCGS phytoplasma has recently clarified that it is a distinct lineage, formally recognized as ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma sacchari’ and clearly separated from closely related taxa such as ‘Ca. P. cynodontis’ and ‘Ca. P. oryzae’. Comparative genomics reveals characteristic metabolic reductions, unique plasmid content, and effector repertoires that distinguish ‘Ca. P. sacchari’ from its relatives. In this perspective, we synthesize how these genomic insights transform our understanding of the pathogen and chart a forward‑looking roadmap for SCGS management. We discussed the taxonomic resolution, salient genome features, and translate them into strategic directions for diagnostics, vector surveillance, resistance breeding, and quarantine. We highlighted critical knowledge gaps including unvalidated diagnostic markers, effector functions, and vector–pathogen interactions and outline research priorities. This article integrates current knowledge to guide future work on SCGS and related phytoplasmas.

The aim of this study is to determine the costs, profitability and energy balance of sugar beet production in the Kırşehir Province of Turkey during the 2023–2024 production season. Data were collected via face-to-face surveys of 100 sugar beet farms, selected using the proportional sampling method. The results indicate that the average sugar beet yield on the surveyed farms was 66.73 kg/ha, at a selling price of 0.0433 $/kg. The gross production value was calculated to be 2892.96 $/ha, the gross profit as 1113.50 $/ha, the net profit as 510.75 $/ha, the relative profit as 1.21, the profit margin as $0.0077/kg, and the unit production cost as 0.0357 $/kg. The total energy input for sugar beet production was 64,848.03 MJ/ha, while the total energy output was 280.266 MJ/ha. The energy use efficiency, energy productivity, specific energy and net energy were calculated to be 4.32, 1.02 kg/MJ, 0.97 MJ/kg and 64,567.73 MJ/ha, respectively. It was found that 57.12% of the total energy input was direct and 42.88% was indirect. Of this, 30.70% was renewable and 69.30% non-renewable. In conclusion, sugar beet production was found to be profitable in terms of energy use. Efficient energy utilisation in agriculture reduces environmental impact, supports the conservation of natural resources and enhances the economic viability of sustainable agriculture. Within this scope, implementing suggestions such as increasing the use of renewable energy sources and educating farmers on energy efficiency is believed to contribute to sustainable production by reducing energy consumption.