Sugar cane

Taxonomy

▶ Common name: Sugar Cane

Family: Gramineae (Poaceae)
Botanical name: Saccharum officinarum
Origin: Probably New Guinea
Uses: A major source (brown sugar, and white sugar).
Origin & Distribution

• Sugar cane is currently grown primarily in tropical regions.

• Sugar cane is believed to have originated in the South Pacific. S.

spontaneum occurs in the wild from eastern and northern Africa,
through the Middle East, to India, China, Taiwan, and Malaysia, and
through the Pacific to New Guinea.

▶ S. officinarum (or noble cane) most likely originated in "New Guinea"

What is sugar?

▶A sugar is a form of carbohydrate used in the food and drinks

industries, and important in biochemistry.

▶ Sucrose(also called saccharose), a white crystalline solid, is the

most commonly used sugar for altering the flavor and properties
('mouthfeel', preservation, texture) of beverages and food.

▶ The "simple" sugars, such as glucose (which is produced from

sucrose by enzymes or acid hydrolysis), are a store of energy
which is used by biological cells
History
▶ Crystallized sugar was reported 2500 years ago in China and
India.

▶ Around the eighth century A.D. the Arabs introduced sugar to

the Mediterranean and it was cultivated in Spain.

▶ Itwas among the early crops brought to the Americas by

Spaniards
Industry background
World Sugar Producers – source of sugar ?

▶ 74% of sugar is made from sugar cane grown

primarily in the tropical and sub-tropical zones of
the southern hemisphere.

▶ 26%is from sugar beet which is grown mainly in the Sugarcane 74%
temperate zones of the northern hemisphere.

Sugarbeet 26 %
 WORLD SUGAR PRODUCERS

• More than 100 countries produce sugar

POPULATIO PER CAPITA
PRODUCTION EXPORTS
N CONSUMPTIO
2007/08 est. MILLION TONS MILLION TONS
MILLIONS N KGS
BRAZIL 31.355 20.957 [1] 190 58
INDIA 28.804 3.298 [4] 1 117 20
EU 17.567 1.400 [8] 490 34
CHINA 14.674 - 1 314 11
THAILAND 8.033 5.288 [2] 65 36
UNITED STATES 7.701 - 301 29
MEXICO 5.978 0.350 [15] 107 52
SADC 5.834 2.410 [5] 157 22
AUSTRALIA 5.013 3.750 [3] 20 47

PAKISTAN 4.891 -
Malaysia is net importer of raw sugar !

▶ Malaysia imports 90% of its sugar consumption

▶ Malaysia gets its supply mainly from Australia, France and Switzerland.

▶ TheGovernment signed a three-year agreement effective from Jan 1 to

Dec 31, 2008 with the three countries last year at about 9 US cents a
pound.
Milling vs Refining sugar !

Gula
Kilang Gula FELDA/
Chuping
FELDA/Perlis
90 % Gula Padang
Pdg
Terap
Terap
IMPORT Central Sugar Refining

e.g Australia
(CSR) Shah Alam
10 %
Malaysian Sugar
Manufacturing (MSM) (locally production)
Penang
 Malaysia - Sugarcane plantations
1. Perlis Plantation Berhad – 10,000 acres
2. FELDA Perlis Sdn Bhd – 10,000 acres
3. Gula Padang Terap (GPT) - ?

In MALAYSIA, 75% of planted sugar were

used for fresh consumption, instead of
sugar production
 The Malaysian sugarcane industry ?

▶ The sugar industry in Malaysia is characterized by rapidly increasing direct

domestic consumption supported by an equally fast-growing food processing
industry.
▶ and on the supply side by a small domestic production base that is unlikely to
expand
▶ To meet the growth in demand, imports have expanded steadily to record levels
in recent years.
▶ With excess refining capacity, some of the imports of raw cane sugar are refined
and re-exported to regional markets.
Lorries with sugarcane to supply Kilang Gula FELDA Perlis Sdn Bhd
Sugar cane species
▶ Sugarcane is composed of six species of perennial grasses of the genus
Saccharum L.,

▶6 species of sugar cane are ;-

a) Two wild species (S. spontaneum L. and S. robustum)
b) 4 cultivated species
- S. officinarum L.,
- S. barberi Jeswiet,
- S. sinense Roxb., and
- S. edule Hassk)
Climate requirements
 Climate requirements
▶ The crop flourishes under a long, warm growing season with a high
incidence of radiation and adequate moisture
▶ tropical or subtropical climate
▶ Optimum Temperature:
▶ sprouting (germination) of stem cuttings 32 to 38°C.
▶ Growing period: mean daily temperatures between 22 and 30°C.
▶Minimum temperature for active growth is approximately 20°C.
▶ Ripeningand harvesting: relatively lower temperatures in the range of
20°C are desirable
▶has a noticeable influence on the reduction of vegetative growth
rate and the enrichment of sucrose in the cane.
▶ minimum of 600 mm of annual moisture
Crop morphology
Morphology of sugarcane
The stalk

Consists of
segments
called joints.
Each joint is
made up of a
node and an
internode
 The node
▶ The node is where the
leaf attaches to the
stalk and where the
buds and root
primordia are found
Buds
▶ Thebuds, located in
the root band of the
node, are embryonic
shoots consisting of a
miniature stalk with
small leaves
The leaf

The leaf of the sugarcane

plant is divided into
two parts: sheath and
blade, separated by a
blade joint
The Roots

▶ Two kinds of roots.

The set roots,
which arise from
the root band, are
thin and highly
branched;

▶ theshoot roots,
originating from the
lower root bands of
the shoots, are
thick, fleshy and
less branched
Sugar cane – growth cycle
 SUGARCANE – growth stages

▶ The normal length of the total growing period

varies between 9 to 15 months (1.3 year)
Growth of shoots and roots

• The bud forms the

new shoot.

•In addition, a seed

piece contains root
primordia within its
root band, which
develop into set
roots which function
until the young shoot
develops its own
roots
Tillering

▶ Tillering,
or development of secondary
shoots, is a beneficial characteristic of a
variety because it provides the plants with
the appropriate number of stalks for a good
yield.

▶ Tillering
increases the rate of canopy closure
which aids in weed control
Ripening stage – degree of sucrose in the stalk
▶ The storage of sucrose in the stalk is known as ripening.

▶ Ripening is a joint to joint process and the degree of maturity of the

individual joints depends on their age

▶ The sucrose content in these plants decreases through the stalk toward
the top of the stalk (bottom to top – sucrose content decrease)
 In young plants, the sucrose content exhibits a distinct maximum
which is located approximately at soil level
 As the plant matures, a more uniform sucrose content is found
throughout the stalk except for the top few internodes and the below-
ground stool.
Propagation
 Propagation – Planting material

▶ Commercial sugarcane is propagated by

cuttings of the stalk (seed cane) containing
usually two or more nodes with buds
Planting material ▶ Propagate vegetative through its stem
▶ Mature canes are cut for planting material
Field planting requirements
How to Grow Sugarcane for Fresh Consumption
Pakej Teknologi Tebu :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orXm8_IIw4U

Teknik menanam tebu part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJa2GqCZ-Ms

Tanaman tebu telur (RTM Johor)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQvAYCe-Z4Q&t=180s

Tebu telur jadi pilihan graduan UiAM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrbYgS4nR30
Land & Soil preparation

▶ Poughing 1st round

▶ Harrowing 1st round
▶ Ploughing 2nd round
▶ Harrow 2nd round
▶ Rotovation
▶ Ridging
▶ Planting
Planting
▶ Stalks are harvested from mature fields, cut into short 50 cm
segments,
▶ laid in furrow rows 1.5 m apart, and then covered with soil

furrow
Bud Emergence

▶ Cane stalks have buds every 5-15 cm

▶ Each of these buds has the capability

to sprout rapidly when buried in moist
soil.

▶ Within 2 to 3 weeks shoots emerge

and, under favorable conditions,
produce secondary shoots to give a
dense stand
 Ratoon Crops

▶ Sugarcane field is replanted every 2 to 4 years.

▶ After a field has been harvested, it is maintained

free of weeds and a second crop of stalks, called a
ratoon, grows from the old plant stubble

▶ Ratooning is the agricultural practice of harvesting a

monocot crop by cutting most of the above-ground portion
but leaving the roots and the growing shoot apices intact so
as to allow the plants to recover and produce a fresh crop in
the next season.
Replanting

▶ When production declines to an unacceptable level due to

insect, disease, or mechanical damage, the old cane plant
is plowed under after harvest and the land is prepared for
replanting.

▶ Onaverage, 3 annual crops (3x harvesting) are taken from

one field before replanting

▶ Anannual plant - A plant that completes its life cycle, from

germination to the production of seeds, within one growing
season, and then dies.
General maintenance
Weed Control – Pre vs Post emergence spray

▶ Pre-emergent herbicides are used after sugarcane

is planted

▶ Aftersugarcane has emerged and before canopy

closure, post-emergent herbicides are sprayed

▶ Perimeter areas are also sprayed to control weeds

Weed Control – Pre emergence herbicides (after planting)

▶ Withexcellent selectivity in corn and sugarcane,

GESAPRIM®/AATREX® offers reliable control of
annual grass and broad-leaf weeds, and is a perfect
partner for mixing with grass weed products
Weed control - Post-emergence (after emergence)
▶ KRISMAT ™, The post-emergence
herbicide for sugarcane with the
largest weed spectrum

▶ KRISMAT is a sugarcane herbicide

for post-emergence weed
control in warm season and
tropical crops.
Fertilization – Mineral soil
Fertilization - Nitrogen requirements (kg/ha)
Stubble cane

Light soil Heavy soil

See picture
(Sand to clay) (Heavily Clay)
Plant cane 60 – 80 80 – 100
Stubble cane 80 – 100 100 – 120
Plant cane

1) Light soil refers to a soil high in sand relative to clay,

2) Heavy soils are made up largely of clay
Fertilization requirements
Stubble cane
Potassium (kg/ha K2O)

Soil test Plant-cane Stubble-cane

Very low 120 140

Low 110 120
Plant cane
Medium 80 80
Fertilization requirements
Stubble cane
Phosphorus (kg/ha P2O5)
Soil test Plant-cane Stubble-cane

Very low 50 60
Low 45 50
Medium 40 40
Plant cane
Pest and Disease
Maturity & harvesting
 Maturity

▶ Sugarcane takes 9-16 months to mature.

▶ When it is ready for harvesting it stands 2 to 4 metres tall.
MATURITY & HARVESTING

▶ In Malaysia
▶ Small scale farmer – manual
▶ For fresh consumption
HARVESTING OF SUGARCANE IN INDUSTRIAL
SCALE –FOR SUGAR PRODUCTION

▶2 Techniques
1. Green harvesting (unburnt) – Common practice
2. Burning
Green Harvesting – common practice !
▶ However it is now common for sugarcane to be harvested
green rather than burnt.

▶ Green harvesting allows the farmer to recycle nitrogen in

the plant by leaving trash cuttings from harvesting in the
field.
Unburnt Sugarcane Harvesting – Pro vs Cons
▶ PRO - Advantages
▶a natural effective weed control
▶ anda healthier and faster growth of ratoon crop have been established due to the
effect of natural mulch
▶ Unburnt sugarcane farming also contributes remarkably to the reduction of air
pollutants.
 Statistically, the cultivation of 1 hectare of sugarcane produces 37 tons of
oxygen per year.
 In contrast, the method of burning sugarcane trash consumes 6.7 tons of oxygen
per hectare per year and, in addition, releases 9.0 tons of carbon dioxide into
the atmosphere.

▶ CONS - Disadvantages
▶ Being
a labour intensive method, it demands five times more jobs than the burning
method because the cleaning of stalks is done by field workers rather than by fire.
1) Burning (before harvest)
▶ Traditionally,
the cane has been burnt before
harvesting to remove leaves, weeds and other
trash which impede harvesting and milling
▶ Burningof sugarcane before harvest eliminates from
30 percent to 50 percent of the leafy trash
(residue) that constitutes from 20 percent to 25
percent of the total weight of the plant.
Advantages of burning – Why ?
▶ Harvesting burned sugarcane results in less
soil being brought to the factory.

▶ reduces fuel consumption because less

material is transported to the factory.

▶ anduses less water in washing the crop

before milling.

▶ Reducing transport within the field lessens

soil compaction.
Sugarcane Processing (2 stages) – mills vs refineries !

▶ Traditionally, sugarcane has been processed in two stages

1) Millings
▶ Sugar cane mills, located in sugarcane producing regions, extract
sugar from freshly harvested sugarcane, resulting in raw sugar

2) Refineries
▶ Sugar refineries, often located in heavy sugar-consuming regions
then purify raw sugar to produce refined white sugar, a product that
is more than 99% pure sucrose
Malaysia - Sugar processing facilities

* refines raw sugarcane

** imports 90% of raw sugar

1. Gula Padang Terap, Kedah*

2. Kilang Gula FELDA/Perlis Sdn Bhd*
3. Malaysian Sugar Manufacturing (MSM)** Company, Penang
4. Central Sugar Refining (CSR), Kuala Lumpur**