Juice Sucrose Research Articles

Estimation of genetic diversity among sugarcane (Saccharum species complex) clones

he experimental materials consisted of 36 sugarcane clones including two checks (Co Pant 97222 and Co Pant 3220). Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among all the clones for all the traits under study namely no. of millable canes, cane height, single cane weight, juice sucrose percent , purity percent , cane yield and CCS yield except cane thickness, juice brix and juice extraction percent. The divergence studies through Mahalanobis D2 statistics grouped the 36 genotypes into eleven clusters. The maximum numbers of genotypes (21) were grouped in clusterI and the lowest (1) in cluster VI,VII,VIII,IX,X and XI. Members of cluster VII and XI (46.48) were found to be genetically most diverse on the basis of their inter cluster difference as opposite to clusters I and II (10.77) which are closely related. Cane height contributed maximum (15.397%) towards genetic divergence followed by Single cane weight (14.762%) and no. of millable cane (13.016%). These characters were considered to be most important for the genetic diversity. Lowest contribution was made by juice purity percent (4.286%) followed by Cane thickness(7.301%),Juice extraction percent (7.619%). Genetic diversity is important for sustainable production since greater losses of characteristics in any population limits its chances of survival. Little to no genetic diversity makes crops extremely susceptible to widespread biotic and abiotic stresses. Genetic diversity can be assessed by Mahalanobis D2 statistic, which is a morphometric method and a powerful tool in quantifying the degree of divergence at genotypic level.

Near infrared spectroscopy determination of sucrose, glucose and fructose in sweet sorghum juice

Sweet sorghum is a very robust crop which has the potential to be used in ethanol production due to its high fermentable sugar content present in its stem juice, very similar to sugarcane. Therefore, for breeding purposes it is relevant to analyze sugar composition in the juice to characterize sweet sorghum genotypes and their period of industrial utilization within different environments for maximum ethanol yield. In this work we developed a rapid, low cost and efficient method to determine the profile of sugars (sucrose, glucose and fructose) in sorghum juice by near infrared spectroscopy and partial least square regression, and validation of the method was performed according to the high-performance liquid chromatography method. Developed models provided root mean square error of prediction of 4, 1 and 0.6mg·mL−1 and ratio performance deviations of 8, 5 and 5 for sucrose, glucose and fructose, respectively. Relative standard deviations of three sweet sorghum juice samples were reported with content variation (low, medium and high) 0.2, 0.3, 0.8% for sucrose; 1, 2, 2% for glucose; 1, 2, 3% for fructose. Sugar profile is an asset for crop breeders to take decisions for the development of more productive cultivars and higher sugar content.

RNAi downregulation of three key lignin genes in sugarcane improves glucose release without reduction in sugar production.

BackgroundSugarcane is a subtropical crop that produces large amounts of biomass annually. It is a key agricultural crop in many countries for the production of sugar and other products. Residual bagasse following sucrose extraction is currently underutilized and it has potential as a carbohydrate source for the production of biofuels. As with all lignocellulosic crops, lignin acts as a barrier to accessing the polysaccharides, and as such, is the focus of transgenic efforts. In this study, we used RNAi to individually reduce the expression of three key genes in the lignin biosynthetic pathway in sugarcane. These genes, caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase (CCoAOMT), ferulate 5-hydroxylase (F5H) and caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT), impact lignin content and/or composition.ResultsFor each RNAi construct, we selected three events for further analysis based on qRT-PCR results. For the CCoAOMT lines, there were no lines with a reduction in lignin content and only one line showed improved glucose release. For F5H, no lines had reduced lignin, but one line had a significant increase in glucose release. For COMT, one line had reduced lignin content, and this line and another released higher levels of glucose during enzymatic hydrolysis. Two of the lines with improved glucose release (F5H-2 and COMT-2) also had reduced S:G ratios.ConclusionsAlong with improvements in bagasse quality for the production of lignocellulosic-based fuels, there was only one line with reduction in juice sucrose extraction, and three lines with significantly improved sucrose production, providing evidence that the alteration of sugarcane for improved lignocellulosic ethanol production can be achieved without negatively impacting sugar production and perhaps even enhancing it.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13068-016-0683-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Effects of Different Kinds of Potassium and Chloride Salts on Sugarcane Quality and Photosynthesis

Appropriate fertilizer management practices are important to improve sugarcane quality. We have ever reported that KCl and K2SO4 had different effects on sugarcane quality and that only excessive KCl application decreased sucrose concentration in juice, indicating that Cl− is the key factor for the quality improvement. In this study, to see the individual effects of Cl− independent of K+, we established treatments using different kinds of K+ and Cl− salts (50 mM KCl, 25 mM K2SO4, mixture of 12.5 mM MgCl2 and 12.5 mM CaCl2, and 50 mM NaCl). The treatments did not greatly affect quantitative parameters. Plants treated with KCl and K2SO4 had significantly higher juice K+ concentrations. On the other hand, Cl− concentration was remarkably high only in the KCl treatment and the other Cl− salt treatments hardly enhanced Cl− accumulation, suggesting that Cl− needs K+ to be efficiently absorbed. Juice sucrose concentration was lowest in the KCl treatment, and the other treatments had no adverse effects. We observed neither declines of stomatal conductance nor F v/F m; however, the KCl treatment showed a slightly lower CO2 assimilation rate, which may have accounted for the sucrose reduction. From this study, we could not evaluate the single effects of Cl− but revealed that Cl− could have a negative impact on sugarcane quality only when K+ is supplied above sufficiency levels, so that we need to reduce K+ as well as Cl− concentrations to improve sugarcane quality.

Application of biocides in the process of sucrose extraction from sugar beet: Effect on sucrose content, number of Leuconostoc colonies and wet pulp characteristics

This research investigated the application of different extraction biocides in the sugar beet processing stages. The simulation of industrial processes of sugar beet extraction and beet pulp pressing is conducted using the laboratory-scale equipment. Statistical significance analysis of influence of input factors on observed responses is performed by response surface method (Box-Behnken design). Special interest was dedicated to the biocide influence on the wet pulp pressability characteristics. Multiple effects of application of chlorine dioxide on quality parameters of intermediates (diffusion juice sucrose content and number of Leuconostoc colonies, wet pulp pressability) are compared to the standard biocides used in sugar industry. Results indicate that the application of chlorine dioxide corresponded with the best pulp pressing characteristics with 5–15% more efficient mechanical dewatering of the wet pulp compared to the other samples, significantly affecting the potential energy consumption. The use of chlorine dioxide lowered the potential energy consumption in the range from 168 to 335 MJ per tonne of wet pulp. All the biocides used in this study showed remarkable biocide effectiveness against mesophilic bacteria Leuconostoc mesenteroides reducing the number of colonies in the range from 82 to 99%.

Stover Composition in Maize and Sorghum Reveals Remarkable Genetic Variation and Plasticity for Carbohydrate Accumulation.

Carbohydrates stored in vegetative organs, particularly stems, of grasses are a very important source of energy. We examined carbohydrate accumulation in adult sorghum and maize hybrids with distinct phenology and different end uses (grain, silage, sucrose or sweetness in stalk juice, and biomass). Remarkable variation was observed for non-structural carbohydrates and structural polysaccharides during three key developmental stages both between and within hybrids developed for distinct end use in both species. At the onset of the reproductive phase (average 65 days after planting, DAP), a wide range for accumulation of non-structural carbohydrates (free glucose and sucrose combined), was observed in internodes of maize (11–24%) and sorghum (7–36%) indicating substantial variation for transient storage of excess photosynthate during periods of low grain or vegetative sink strength. Remobilization of these reserves for supporting grain fill or vegetative growth was evident from lower amounts in maize (8–19%) and sorghum (9–27%) near the end of the reproductive period (average 95 DAP). At physiological maturity of grain hybrids (average 120 DAP), amounts of these carbohydrates were generally unchanged in maize (9–21%) and sorghum (16–27%) suggesting a loss of photosynthetic assimilation due to weakening sink demand. Nonetheless, high amounts of non-structural carbohydrates at maturity even in grain maize and sorghum (15–18%) highlight the potential for developing dual-purpose (grain/stover) crops. For both species, the amounts of structural polysaccharides in the cell wall, measured as monomeric components (glucose and pentose), decreased during grain fill but remained unchanged thereafter with maize biomass possessing slightly higher amounts than sorghum. Availability of carbohydrates in maize and sorghum highlights the potential for developing energy-rich dedicated biofuel or dual-purpose (grain/stover) crops.

Relationships between nutrients and sucrose concentrations in sugarcane juice and use of juice analysis for nutrient diagnosis in Japan

Sugarcane is an important economic crop in southwest Japan, but its production is decreasing. To increase sugar production, both sugarcane yield and quality should be improved. Fertilizer management is one of the factors that influence sugarcane quality. We accordingly focused on nutrients present in sugarcane juice and attempted to identify the key factors affecting sugarcane quality. We collected sugarcane samples from 2013 to 2015 from all of the sugar mills in Japan and examined the relationships between juice nutrients and sucrose concentration. Juice analysis over 3 year showed that potassium (K+) and chloride (Cl−) were the most abundant cation and anion in the juice and that both negatively correlated with the sucrose concentration. K+ and Cl− concentrations significantly varied depending on production areas and those with higher K+ and Cl− concentrations had a low sucrose concentration. This finding suggests that sugarcane in those areas may have been supplied with these two ions in excess. Electrical conductivity (EC) in the juice always positively correlated with K+ and Cl− concentrations. EC may thus be a reliable indicator of K+ and Cl− concentrations and could be used for nutrient diagnosis because of its ease of measurement. For improving sugarcane quality, we recommend that potassium chloride, which supplies both K+ and Cl− and is a commonly used potassium fertilizer for sugarcane production in Japan, should be used in lower quantities in a year following one in which the EC of sugarcane juice at harvest is found to be high.

Rejection thresholds (RjT) of sweet likers and dislikers

Sweetness is generally a desirable taste, however consumers can be grouped into sweet likers and dislikers according to optimally preferred sucrose concentrations. Understanding the levels of sweetness in products that are acceptable and unacceptable to both consumer groups is important to product development and for influencing dietary habits. The concentrations at which sucrose decreases liking (the rejection threshold; RjT) in liquid and semi-solid matrices were investigated in this study. Thirty six consumers rated their liking of 5 sucrose aqueous solutions; this identified 36% sweet likers (SL) whose liking ratings increased with increasing sucrose and 64% sweet dislikers (SD) whose liking ratings decreased above 6% (w/v) sucrose. We hypothesized that SL and SD would have different RjT for sucrose in products. This was tested by preparing 8 levels of sucrose in orange juice and orange jelly and presenting each against the lowest level in forced choice preference tests. In orange juice, as sucrose increased from 33g/L to 75g/L the proportion of people preferring the sweeter sample increased in both groups. However, at higher sucrose levels, the proportion of consumers preferring the sweet sample decreased. For SD, a RjT was reached at 380g/L, whereas a significant RjT for SL was not reached. RjT in jelly were not reached as the sweetness in orange jelly was significantly lower than for orange juice (p<0.001). Despite statistically significant differences in rated sweetness between SL and SD (p=0.019), the extent of difference between the two groups was minor. The results implied that sweet liker status was not substantially related to differences in sweetness perception. Self-reported dietary intake of carbohydrate, sugars and sucrose were not significantly affected by sweet liker status. However the failure to find an effect may be due to the small sample size and future studies within a larger, more representative population sample are justifiable from the results of this study.

Effects of Potassium Chloride and Potassium Sulfate on Sucrose Concentration in Sugarcane Juice Under Pot Conditions

Sugarcane is generally fertilized with potassium chloride (KCl). It was reported in Okinawa, Japan, that potassium (K) in sugarcane juice has a negative effect on juice sucrose concentration. However, in some experiments, increasing K levels with potassium sulfate (K2SO4) did not reduce sucrose concentration. We hypothesized that sugarcane quality is affected not only by K but also by other components of K fertilizers, such as Cl− and SO4 2−. To test this hypothesis, two pot experiments were performed using different K levels supplied by KCl and K2SO4. Juice K+ and Cl− concentrations markedly increased with K levels irrespective of K type; however, there was little effect of the treatments on SO4 2− concentration. In the first experiment, as K levels increased, both KCl and K2SO4 application tended to increase sucrose concentration in August samples. In later periods, however, the relationships completely changed based on the K type: sucrose concentration tended to be reduced by KCl application but increased by K2SO4 application. Similar results were obtained in the second experiment, which resulted in lower sucrose concentration with higher levels of KCl; however, there was no negative effect of K2SO4 treatment. These results suggest that Cl− is the primary factor in sucrose reduction. K+ concentration strongly affected Cl− concentration in all K types; however, the rate of increase was lower when only K2SO4 was provided, thereby indicating that it is possible to lower Cl− concentration by K2SO4 application. This measure could lead to quality improvement.

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Genetic divergence among the twenty four sugarcane genotypes collected from various sugarcane research institutions of northern India were tested in a randomized complete block design with three replicates during the cropping seasons 2013 - 14. The assessment of the genetic diversity was based on the eighteen cane yield and quality characters. The results of the study indicated that, the genotypes were grouped into five clusters based on the genetic distance using Mahalanobis's statistics. Higher inter-cluster distance was recorded between cluster II and V (89.668) indicating high genetic diversity among these two clusters. Thus, exploitation of genotypes within these two clusters as parents for crossing could produce good sugarcane segregants. The lowest intra cluster distance was reported in the cluster III (14.897) revealed that clones are identical and can not to be used as parents in crossing that results hybrid not desirable for the characters studied. A critical analysis of cluster means for different traits indicated that cluster I was desirable for cane yield, CCS (t/ha), single cane weight, stalk diameter, germination (%), cluster II was better for juice extraction percentage, cluster III for better juice purity percent, brix (%), sucrose (%) and CCS (%) for 12 months and cluster V was the best source for NMC (000/ha), stalk length with other good cane and sugar yield traits. The average D

Effect of incorporating alum in cane juice clarification efficiency and sucrose losses

The effect of incorporating alum in the clarification stage of raw juice in sugarcane processing on the juice quality and sucrose loss was investigated. Alum was incorporated in both intermediate and hot liming clarification processes of cane juicing. One portion of the cane juice was used for With Pre-treatment Treatment (WPT) while the other portion constituted No Pre-treatment (NPT) juice. Alum at levels of 0 mg L-1, 50 mg L-1, 100 mg L-1 and 150 mg L-1 was incorporated in both intermediate and hot liming clarification processes in each of the two cane juice portions. Sugar concentration (sucrose, glucose and fructose), oBrix, pH, colour, settling performance (initial settling rates (ISR), final mud volume (MV∞), and turbidity) and residual aluminium ion concentration were evaluated. Any significant variations (p &lt; 0.05) in these parameters were assessed. The study found significantly lower (p &lt; 0.05) sucrose losses in clarified juice from intermediate liming of WPT after alum treatment than in the rest of the clarified juices. Colour and turbidity in the pre-treated cane juice of intermediate liming was reduced by 36.9% and 98.1%, respectively at 150 mg L-1 alum level. An initial settling rate of 260 mL min-1 in WPT cane juice of intermediate liming at 150 mg L-1 alum level resulted in the most compact final mud volume of 10.3%. The residual aluminium concentration (0.025 to 0.048 mg L-1) in alum treated clarified juices was lower than the natural aluminium concentration (0.088 mg L-1) in untreated cane juice. This study showed the potential for the use of alum in cane juice clarification to improve on clarification efficiency and lower sucrose loss.

Effect of incorporating alum in cane juice clarification efficiency and sucrose losses

The effect of incorporating alum in the clarification stage of raw juice in sugarcane processing on the juice quality and sucrose loss was investigated. Alum was incorporated in both intermediate and hot liming clarification processes of cane juicing. One portion of the cane juice was used for With Pre-treatment Treatment (WPT) while the other portion constituted No Pre-treatment (NPT) juice. Alum at levels of 0 mg L -1 , 50 mg L -1 , 100 mg L -1 and 150 mg L -1 was incorporated in both intermediate and hot liming clarification processes in each of the two cane juice portions. Sugar concentration (sucrose, glucose and fructose), o Brix, pH, colour, settling performance (initial settling rates (ISR), final mud volume (MV ∞ ), and turbidity) and residual aluminium ion concentration were evaluated. Any significant variations (p < 0.05) in these parameters were assessed. The study found significantly lower (p < 0.05) sucrose losses in clarified juice from intermediate liming of WPT after alum treatment than in the rest of the clarified juices. Colour and turbidity in the pre-treated cane juice of intermediate liming was reduced by 36.9% and 98.1%, respectively at 150 mg L -1 alum level. An initial settling rate of 260 mL min -1 in WPT cane juice of intermediate liming at 150 mg L -1 alum level resulted in the most compact final mud volume of 10.3%. The residual aluminium concentration (0.025 to 0.048 mg L -1 ) in alum treated clarified juices was lower than the natural aluminium concentration (0.088 mg L -1 ) in untreated cane juice. This study showed the potential for the use of alum in cane juice clarification to improve on clarification efficiency and lower sucrose loss.

Disturbances in Growth, Yield, Sucrose Concentration and Antioxidative Defense System by Excess Cobalt in Sugarcane

The aim of the study was to implicate induction of oxidative stress and antioxidative responses with the effects of cobalt excess on sugarcane plants. Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarium L.) cv. ‘CoS 99225’ grown in refined sand at excess cobalt i.e. 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 μM. The effect of excess cobalt (>300 μM) was observed on sugarcane as interveinal chlorosis and necrotic spots in middle leaves. Later, affected leaves turned necrotic, dry, and withered. The toxicity of cobalt was also discernible on root weight, cane yield, reduced concentration of sucrose in cane juice, carotenoides, Hill reaction activity, chlorophylls, iron (Fe), relative water content, decreased activity of catalase in leaves, and increase in concentration of lipid peroxidation, phenols, sugars, starch, proline and higher activity of peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide didmutase and accumulation of cobalt in sugarcane leaves.

Four-fold concentration of sucrose in sugarcane juice through energy efficient forward osmosis using sea bittern as draw solution

Clarified sugarcane juice was efficiently dewatered through the spontaneous process of Forward Osmosis (FO) employing sea bittern as draw solution.

Response of Sugarcane in a Red Ultisol to Phosphorus Rates, Phosphorus Sources, and Filter Cake.

We evaluated the effect of phosphorus application rates from various sources and in the presence or absence of filter cake on soil phosphorus, plant phosphorus, changes in acid phosphatase activity, and sugarcane productivity grown in Eutrophic Red Ultisol. Three P sources were used (triple superphosphate, Araxa rock phosphate, and Bayovar rock phosphate) and four application rates (0, 90, 180, and 360 kg ha−1 of P2O5) in the presence or absence of filter cake (7.5 t ha−1, dry basis). The soil P, the accumulated plant P, the leaf acid phosphatase activity and straw, the stalk productivity, the concentration of soluble solids in the juice (Brix), the juice sucrose content (Pol), and the purity were the parameters evaluated. We found that P applications increased levels of soil, leaf, and juice phosphorus and led to higher phosphorus accumulation and greater stalk and straw productivity. These levels were highest in the presence of filter cake. Acid phosphatase activity decreased with increasing plant phosphorus concentration. Phosphate fertilization did not show effect on sugarcane technological quality. We concluded that P application, regardless of source, improved phosphorus nutrition and increased productivity in sugarcane and, when associated with filter cake, reduced the need for mineral fertilizer.

Production of a low calorie mandarin juice by enzymatic conversion of constituent sugars to oligosaccharides and prevention of insoluble glucan formation.

Over 99% of sucrose in mandarin juice (57.1 g/l in original juice to 428.4 g/l in concentrated juice) was enzymatically converted to glucooligosaccharides using 3 U dextransucrase/ml prepared from Leuconostoc mesenteroides at 28 °C. The oligosaccharide synthesis yields were 51 and 47% for the original and the concentrated mandarin juice, respectively. The degree of polymerization of oligosaccharides in the enzyme-modified juice was 2-7. Calories in the original and modified mandarin juice were 433 and 301 kcal/l (30.5% reduction). Compared with the original juice, the enzyme-modified juice showed 82% decrease of insoluble glucan formation by mutansucrase from Streptococcus mutans. A sensory evaluation of the juices revealed that the original and modified mandarin juices had sweetness values of 4.5 and 4.9 and the same values for overall acceptability.

Application of diffusion ordered-1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to quantify sucrose in beverages

This work focuses on a quantitative analysis of sucrose using diffusion ordered-quantitative 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (DOSY-qNMR), where an analyte can be isolated from interference based on its characteristic diffusion coefficient (D) in gradient magnetic fields. The D value of sucrose in deuterium oxide at 30°C was 4.9×10−10m2/s at field gradient pulse from 5.0×10−2 to 3.0×10−1T/m, separated from other carbohydrates (glucose and fructose). Good linearity (r2=0.9999) was obtained between sucrose (0.5–20.0g/L) and the resonance area of target glucopyranosyl-α-C1 proton normalised to that of cellobiose C1 proton (100.0g/L, as an internal standard) in 1D sliced DOSY spectrum. The DOSY-qNMR method was successfully applied to quantify sucrose in orange juice (36.1±0.5g/L), pineapple juice (53.5±1.1g/L) and a sports drink (24.7±0.6g/L), in good agreement with the results obtained by an F-kit method.

Study on the Preparation, Sensory, Chemical, Microbiological Properties of Melon Yoghurt

The melon yoghurt were prepared by blending 20% milk with 30% melon juice before fermentation.The influences of melon juice,stabilizer,sucrose,inoculum,fermentation temperature and time were studied by the single factor experiment;the optimum conditions were investigated by the orthogonal experiment.Different chemical and microbiological characteristics and organoleptic assessment were analyzed to assay the quality of the yoghurt during refrigerated storage at 4°C for 21 days.The results show that melon juice dosage,sucrose amount,fermentation temperature and time have significant effect on the acceptability of yoghurt.The optimal conditions of melon yoghurt are: 35% melon juice,0.2%stabilizer,3%sucrose, 4%inoculation,fermentation at 43°C for 5h.The results of chemical analysis revealed protein contents is 4.0%,fat contents is 3.2%,the total solids content is 11.6%,the titratable acidity is between 70°T and 85°T. The microbiological examination revealed a tolerable level for the samples cultures.The sensory scores increased especially for yoghurt samples,which was obtained by the optimal conditions.

Variability in Breeding Pool of Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) for Yield, Quality and Resistance to Different Biotic and Abiotic Stress Factors

The understanding on the available genetic variability in the breeding pool aids the breeder to choose better parental combinations for the desired genetic improvement in crop plants. The variability present in the National Hybridisation Garden (NHG) of sugarcane in India at Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore with an assemblage of 606 clones of sugarcane cultivars and other elite hybrids were studied for cane yield components, juice quality parameters and their level of resistance against red rot. The data on smut resistance, tolerance to stalk borer and tolerance to different abiotic stresses like drought, salinity, water logging, low temperature, high temperature and winter ratooning ability of these clones to be used parental clones were collected from the available literature. Significant leptokurtic distribution for the cane characters and right skewed distribution for juice quality traits were observed in this breeding pool. Correlation studies indicated that selection of parents contributing to high cane height and high number of millable canes (NMC) would result in progeny with high single cane weight (SCW) and cane yield because, the SCW was negatively correlated with NMC and cane thickness. Clones with high per se performance for important yield contributing characters were identified which are potential parents for yield improvement. For sucrose content, a highly heritable trait in sugarcane, nineteen clones with high juice sucrose of more than 20 % were found to be suitable as parents for quality enhancement. One hundred and thirty-seven clones were found as either resistant (R) or moderately Rto the most virulent races of red rot pathogen by testing with mixed inoculum of Cf 671 and Cf 94012 isolates. Screening of the clones for pollen fertility inferred that NHG has higher number of clones that can be used as female parent than as male parent. The synchrony in flowering of female and male parental clones with desirable traits of interest and the combining ability of the clones are also discussed in this paper. The critical consideration of the different parameters in choosing suitable parental clones in crossing programme will help in rapid varietal improvement for cane and sugar yield as well as to enhance the resistance against different biotic and abiotic stresses for increased sugarcane productivity.

Impact of Nitrogen and Sulphur Fertilisers on Yield and Quality of Sugarcane Plant Crop

It is expected that an improvement in nitrogen (N) uptake by plants would occur if sulphur (S) availability in the soil solution is non-limiting. In this study, sugarcane (plant crop) responses to N were studied at different levels of S application. The experiment was performed in Piracicaba city (Sao Paulo State, Brazil), from May 2004 to September 2005. Sugarcane plants were grown in 220 L pots filled with sandy soil. A randomised block design was adopted to evaluate four N doses (0, 40, 80 and 120 kg ha−1 of N) and two S doses (0 and 70 kg ha−1 of S) applied at the time of planting. Responses were observed for sugarcane biomass and stalk production in response to N application 16 months after the planting. The highest N dose (120 kg ha−1) increased aboveground, belowground, and whole plant dry matter and stalk production by 56, 37, 53 and 56 %, respectively, when compared to the treatment without added N. The lowest N doses (0 and 40 kg ha−1) resulted in highest root to shoot ratio. The sugarcane technological parameters (brix, fiber content, juice sucrose) were not affected by N and S application. However, sugar production increased in those doses of N that led to an increased production of stalks: even the lowest application of N (40 kg ha−1) increased sugar production by 14 % in comparison with the zero application. There were no statistically significant effects of the S treatment, so the results of this study do not confirm the hypothesis that S is an interacting factor for sugarcane response to N application. However, this study involved only 1 year of experimentation and needs confirmation.