Abstract
Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the optimal harvest time of ten genotypes of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) for the processing and quality of brown sugar. The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design in a 3x10 factorial arrangement in split plots, with three harvest times and ten sugarcane genotypes, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The qualitative parameters of brown sugar were evaluated by Scott-Knott’s test, at 5% probability. The harvest season in September, known as the middle of the harvest, is the most suitable for the production of brown sugar due to the higher of ºBrix values of cane, ºBrix of the broth, pol of brown sugar, and total reducing sugars in this period. The harvesting of the sugarcane genotypes in June-July is the most favorable for the production of brown sugar for the color characteristics a*, b*, L*, and chroma; however, it is also the period of production of brown sugar with a lower sugar content. The third harvest season (November) is the least recommended for brown sugar production due to the higher fiber and purity values. The most suitable genotype for brown sugar production and quality is 'IACSP04-704'.
Highlights
The cultivation of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is of great economic importance for the sugar and energy industry, from which purposes, ethanol production stands out, while for animal use, sugarcane silage is employed
A similarity was observed for the qualitative variables that showed interaction between genotypes and seasons. oBrix of the cane (BC), total recoverable sugar (TRS), pol of cane (PC), and pol of broth (PB) showed that the second harvest season (September) is the best harvest season for the brown sugar production, followed by seasons 3 and 1, respectively (Table 1)
Among the factors related to the genotypes, the precocious ones in general were more appropriate to be harvested in the first (June-July), or second season (September), while those of the medium cycle were more productive to these variables in September
Summary
The cultivation of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is of great economic importance for the sugar and energy industry, from which purposes, ethanol production stands out, while for animal use, sugarcane silage is employed. Sugarcane is one of the main crops produced around the world, and its grown in more than 100 countries. 83% is concentrated in ten countries, including Brazil, considered the largest world producer of this crop, with about 37% of the production, which represents 746 million tonnes per year (FAO, 2021). Sugarcane estimated production of Brazil for 2021 is 667,4 thousand tonnes, which represents a small decrease (1.5%) in comparison with the previous year that reached 667,9 thousand tonnes (Indicadores IBGE..., 2021). São Paulo is considered as the largest producer state of this crop (54.1%), reaching an average productivity of 81,656 kg ha-1 and a total production of approximately 361,5 thousand tonnes (Acompanhamento..., 2020)
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