Now, research searches sugarcane with more fiber
Valor Econômico
With an eye in the potential market of bioelectricity and cellulosic ethanol, the Inter-University Network for the Development of the Sugar-Ethanol Industry (RIDESA) works towards the development of a variety of sugarcane with a higher percentage of fibers. There is no date for the commercial launch yet, the technology promises to increase of 18% to 20% the sugarcane fiber content. The current varieties have average percentage of nearly 13%. This is just one of the several studies on sugarcane developed by 89 researchers of the ten universities that are part of RIDESA, said the president of the Network, and also rector of the Federal University of Alagoas (Ufal), Ana Dayse Rezende Dorea.This variety, with more fiber, will enhance the use of sugarcane in energy projects, says Geraldo Veríssimo, researcher at the University of Alagoas and executive director of RIDESA. This year, RIDESA is placing on the market 13 new sugarcane varieties suited for different regions of the country. In common, some of them have a longer production cycle. Today, the varieties have cycle of five to six years, but the potential is to move to seven to eight years with an appropriate management and climate, explains Veríssimo.
Some of the launches also add greater potential for the sugar production, the researcher says. On the national average, one hectare yields 7.5 thousand kilos of sugar, and industries with good efficiency achieve up to 12 thousand kilos. "Some of these new varieties have the potential to raise productivity up to 15 thousand kilos", said Verissimo, noting that the performance depends on the efficiency of each plant.
RIDESA has a budget of about R$ 30 million (US$ 17 million) per year. Half of this volume is captured between a group of 300 sugar and alcohol plants across Brazil. The other portion comes from contributions from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT) via FINEP (Financier of Studies and Projects) and CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development). Despite the new demands of the sugarcane sector, as higher fiber content and more rusticity - to adapt to the increasing mechanization - researches are still pursuing results in the traditional demands, such as sugarcane general productivity and output of products.
Over the years, studies have shown that the cane is a plant with potential to yield 472 tons per hectare in Brazil. The average of this productivity in Brazil is 80 tons. In São Paulo, this indicator is higher and varies between 100 and 120 tons. "In some regions - and in individual cases - there are varieties that reach 200 tons of sugarcane per hectare, of course, in favorable conditions of management and climate", said Verissimo. He adds that in experimental field, the results showed performance of 300 tons. Thus, the longer the evolution has been, there is still a long way to move forward ", argues the researcher Marcos Antonio Sanchez, from the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) and also executive director of RIDESA.
Above all, complete Sanches, if we take into account that the expansion of sugar cane is occurring in less favorable environments. "The challenge is to maintain good yields, despite the adverse conditions", says UFSCAR researcher.