Sugar Mill Research Articles

ANÁLISIS DEL CRECIMIENTO DE CULTIVARES DE CAÑA DE AZÚCAR A TRAVÉS DE LA EVALUACIÓN DEL RENDIMIENTO Y MATERIA SECA

<p><strong>Background:</strong> The production of aboveground biomass of sugarcane is mainly due to the interactions between edaphic, climatic, and genetic factors. Objective: To evaluate the growth of three sugarcane cultivars through the evaluation of yield and dry matter accumulation, during the template and soca cultivation cycles, in the supply area of the Santa Rosalía de la Chontalpa Sugar Mill. <strong>Methodology:</strong> In the supply area of the Santa Rosalia de la Chontalpa Sugar Mill (ISRCH), Tabasco, an experiment was established under rainfed conditions, during two cycles (plantilla and soca), with three cultivars (MEX69-290, MEX79-431 and CP72-2086), established in a eutric Fluvisol soil. In each plot, five observation sites of 30 x 30 m were set up, in which the production of stems and biomass was determined.<strong> Results:</strong> In the plant cycle, the cane yield at 450 days after sowing (DAS) followed the following order CP72-2086> MEX79-431> MEX69-290 with 144.73, 130.09 and 94.18 t ha<sup>-1</sup>, respectively. On the contrary, in ratoon 360 days after harvest (DAH), MEX69-290 presented higher stem yield. In ratoon cycle, the stems yield decreased 14.5, 30.9 and 32.5% for MEX69-290, MEX79-431 and CP72-2086, respectively, compared to the plant cycle. The maximum absolute growth rate reached by the evaluated cultivars was 187, 192 and 262 kg ha<sup>-1</sup> day<sup>-1</sup> at 210 DAS in the plant cycle and 193, 177 and 151 kg ha<sup>-1</sup> day<sup>-1</sup> at 180 DAH in ratoon cycle for MEX69-290, CP72-2086 and MEX79-431, respectively. <strong>Implications:</strong> This allows knowing the growth rate of sugarcane cultivation in the humid tropics. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> The yield and harvest index of sugarcane varies with respect to the age of the crop (Cycle) and the cultivar.</p>

Fatal Longings: Nostalgia, Slavery, and Medicine

ABSTRACT This article analyzes the politics of nostalgia’s history as a fatal disease between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, especially as it was applied to slaves in late eighteenth-century Cuba. I trace nostalgia’s medical history beginning with its inauguration in Swiss medicine in 1688, and then describe the contours of its transformation into a military disease primarily affecting white soldiers in France and the United States. Finally, I translate and analyze key elements of Francisco Barrera y Domingo’s work on nostalgia as experienced by slaves in sugar mills in Havana. I show that Barrera uses his analysis of nostalgia and its treatment to describe the slaves’ harrowing conditions and homesickness. Nevertheless, in denying slaves the ability to return home and in failing to propose the abolition of the slave system in the wake of the Haitian Revolution, I argue, Barrera in fact deploys the diagnosis of nostalgia in order to medicalize and pathologize the slaves’ reactions and resistance to their captivity. Thus, despite his sympathy to the slaves, I conclude that for Barrera, nostalgia functions as a tool to better manage the slaves as laborers and as property.

Study of welding deposition performance in changing parameters (welding speed and direction) in hard coating application in sugarcane mills using the FCAW process with a focus on sustainable manufacturing

Being one of the main sources of waste generation from welding processes, filler metal splashes are a source of waste generation that promotes environmental impacts due to their chemical compositions. Actions that converge towards reducing waste, in addition to mitigating environmental impacts, also represent a significant contribution to reducing costs inherent to welding processes. Actions aimed at reducing waste and costs contribute significantly to sustainable production. In this context, a study is proposed that analyzes welding spatter as a contaminating residue and loss of financial resources. Therefore, the objective of this study is to analyze the application of hard coating using the FCAW (Flux-Cored Are Welding) process on shafts in sugar and alcohol plants. The objective is to study the influence of the coating application speed parameter associated with the direction of rotation (welding direction) on the Deposition Yield. As proposed in this study, using welding speeds of 6, 10 and 13.6 m/min with alternating rotation directions (clockwise and counterclockwise), the Deposition Yield was calculated for the 6 situations. The results showed an improvement in performance when 6 m/min and clockwise were combined. This improvement results in savings of approximately R$6.7 million per year and would avoid the generation of 385 tons of hazardous materials in Brazil. These results contribute to more sustainable production.

Production and characterization of briquettes from sugarcane bagasse of Wonji Sugar Factory, Oromia, Ethiopia

AbstractBriquetted biomass, like sugarcane bagasse, a by-product of sugar mills, is a renewable energy source. This study aimed at the production and characterization of bagasse briquettes. The production of briquettes was carried out with different blending ratios (5, 10, and 15%) and average particle sizes (0.75, 2.775, and 4.8 mm) with various binders of cow dung, waste paper, and admixture (molasses and wastepaper). The bagasse underwent drying, size reduction, sieving, binder addition, and densification using a manual press during the briquetting process. Characterization of the physical and combustion parameters of briquettes, such as density, shatter resistance, proximate, and calorific value, followed the American Society for Testing and Materials procedures. The result shows that the maximum density of briquettes was 0.804 g/cm3, while shatter resistance varied from 83.051 to 94.975% (4.8mm, 5% cow dung and 0.75mm, 5% admixture binders respectively). ANOVA analysis showed that the factors and their interactions had a significant influence (p value < 0.05) on the physical properties. The optimum parameters of briquettes achieved were 14.953% admixture binder, 0.776 mm particle size, 0.805 g/cm3 density, and 95.811% shatter resistance. Bagasse briquettes with a 5% cow dung binder achieved a high calorific value of 39927.05 kcal/kg. The ultimate analysis revealed a composition of 47.49% carbon (C), 5.133% hydrogen (H), 1.557% nitrogen (N), 0.374% sulfur (S), and 45.446% oxygen (O). Therefore, bagasse has a high calorific value and can be used for briquetting to replace fossil fuel and firewood in different applications. In addition, due to its availability, utilizing as fuel source has economic advantage. Graphical abstract

Fouling of reverse osmosis membrane in sugar mill condensate purification under sub- and super-boundary flux conditions

The sugar production process, inherently water-intensive, is characterized by pronounced condensate formation during the evaporation and boiling phases. Given the environmental and resource implications, there is a scholarly emphasis on the potable reuse of such condensate by reverse osmosis (RO) in sugar mills. However, membrane fouling presents a significant challenge to the consistent operation of the RO process. This research examines the influence of operating parameters, namely transmembrane pressure and crossflow velocity, on the performance and fouling tendencies of an RO membrane during the purification of sugar mill condensate. The boundary flux theory was employed to model the permeate flux throughout this process. A boundary flux (5.92 L h−1m−2) and its corresponding operating pressure (10 bar) were determined. Moreover, a comparative analysis of the fouling mechanisms and the composition of the foulant layer under both sub-boundary and super-boundary conditions was undertaken. Under sub-boundary conditions, the fouling mechanism was identified as cake-intermediate blocking, while the super-boundary condition exhibited intermediate blocking. Under both conditions, organic fouling emerged as the primary fouling type. The TOC of surface contaminants ranged from 1.07 to 1.86 g/m2. Within this, proteins (484.0 to 850.3 mg m−2) and polysaccharides (201.5 to 379.2 mg m−2) were the dominant components. However, when operating conditions surpassed the boundary, there was a noticeable rise in inorganic fouling such as Ca (from 44.95 to 149.43 mg m−2) and Fe (from 4.40 to 112.09 mg m−2), which is likely due to the co-deposition of organic materials with inorganic ions. This research contributes to a more nuanced understanding of how operating conditions influence fouling mechanisms and provides foundational insights for addressing fouling challenges in sugar mill condensate purification.

Isotherms, kinetics and thermodynamics of industrial dye acid red 27 adsorption on Sugarcane Bagasse Ash.

In this study, sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA), obtained as residue from the sugar mill, was used as an adsorbent for Acid Red 27 (AR27) removal from aqueous solutions. The ash characterization data showed 23.63% of organic compounds and silica (α-SiO2) as the most expressive inorganic compound (confirmed by X-ray diffractogram), the BET surface area had a value of 62.79 m2.g-1 and the pHpzc was 8.45. Regarding the adsorptive tests, the optimal initial pH to the dye removal was 2.0. The adsorption equilibrium reached in about 4h contact time and optimum SCBA dosage was found to be 4g.L-1. The pseudo-second order model best represented the adsorption kinetics. The Freundlich equation presented the best fit to the equilibrium data for the removal of AR27 by ash, with maximum adsorption capacity of 15mg.g-1 at pH 2.0. Thermodynamic study indicate that AR27 adsorption on SCBA occurs through a physisorption mechanism, with ΔHºads < 15kJ.mol-1. The ΔHºads evaluated by Vant' Hoff equation was explained as a combination of water desorption enthalpy, ΔHºW and isosteric like enthalpy, ΔHºD for the dye adsorption in liquid environment. The ΔHºD = 9.2kJ.mol-1 was calculated from Clausius-Clapeyron approach. The effects of coexisting anions on the adsorption and regeneration and reuse of the adsorbent were also investigated. This study suggests that SCBA, which was used without any pretreatment, has the potential to be applied as a low-cost adsorbent to mitigate effluents contamination with AR27 dye at low concentrations.

Is It Possible to Measure the Quality of Sugarcane in Real-Time during Harvesting Using Onboard NIR Spectroscopy?

In-field quality prediction in agricultural products is mainly based on near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR). However, initiatives applied to sugarcane quality are only observed under laboratory-controlled conditions. This study proposed a framework for NIR spectroscopy sensing to measure sugarcane quality during a real harvest operation. A platform was built to support the system composed of the NIR sensor and external lighting on the elevator of a sugarcane harvester. Real-time data were acquired in commercial fields. Georeferenced samples were collected for calibration, validation, and adjustment of the multivariate models by partial least squares (PLS) regression. In addition, subsamples of defibrated cane were NIR-acquired for the development of calibration transfer models by piecewise direct standardization (PDS). The method allowed the adjustment of the spectra collected in real time to predict the quality properties of soluble solids content (Brix), apparent sucrose in juice (Pol), fiber, cane Pol, and total recoverable sugar (TRS). The results of the relative mean square error of prediction (RRMSEP) were from 1.80 to 2.14%, and the ratio of interquartile performance (RPIQ) was from 1.79 to 2.46. The PLS-PDS models were applied to data acquired in real-time, allowing estimation of quality properties and identification of the existence of spatial variability in quality. The results showed that it is possible to monitor the spatial variability of quality properties in sugarcane in the field. Future studies with a broader range of quality attribute values and the evaluation of different configurations for sensing devices, calibration methods, and data processing are needed. The findings of this research will enable a valuable spatial information layer for the sugarcane industry, whether for agronomic decision-making, industrial operational planning, or financial management between sugar mills and suppliers.

A Study on Employees Welfare in Kallakurichi II Co-Operative Sugar Mills Ltd at Kachirayapalayam, Kallakurichi District

A Study on Employees Welfare in Kallakurichi II Co-Operative Sugar Mills Ltd at Kachirayapalayam, Kallakurichi District

Optimizing juice extraction in sugar mills: application of time delay compensation with intelligent controllers

The juice extraction process plays a crucial role in the sugar production industry, but it often faces challenges due to time delays that can negatively impact efficiency and quality. This paper introduces a Time Delay Compensation (TDC) technique aimed at mitigating this issue. The TDC technique is specifically designed to minimize the adverse effects of time delays, thereby improving control performance. The primary objective of this research is to enhance the efficiency and quality of the juice extraction process, ultimately leading to increased productivity and profitability for sugar mills. To achieve this goal, we conducted an extensive review of existing solutions, highlighting their limitations and associated challenges. In response, we propose a unique and practical solution that can be implemented using MATLAB Processes. Through simulation results, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the TDC technique in suppressing time delay and enhancing control performance, resulting in a significant improvement in extraction efficiency. This work contributes to the field of sugar production by introducing a specialized TDC technique tailored for the juice extraction process in sugar mills.

Sustainable utilisation of rice husk for cleaner energy: A circular economy between agricultural, energy and construction sectors

Global research focuses on cleaner and sustainable energy alternatives like biomass due to the limited availability of coal and high CO2 emissions associated with coal combustion. Rice husk-based electricity generation is hindered by the absence of cogeneration facilities in rice mills. Rice (Oryza sativa) cultivation is wide-spread and constructing several biomass plants at various locations is uneconomical. Hence, instead of using as biomass, rice husk is field burnt as a method of disposal. Construction of only few rice cogenerations facilitates and using already existing sugar mills and coal based thermal plants cogeneration facilities in a combined way is cost-effective and sustainable solution. Therefore, the present study examines the synergistic utilisation of sugar mills, coal-based power plants and only few newly proposed biomass power plants for effective combustion of rice husk. Maharashtra, one of the largest states in India is considered as the study area. Already existing 181 sugar mills, 18 thermal power plants are considered in 36 districts of Maharashtra state. Site suitability analysis was performed using a multi-criteria decision-making technique and ArcGIS. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the robustness of the suitability index values. From the analysis, it is found that nine districts require new biomass power plants. In remaining 27 districts use of already existing cogeneration facilities at sugar mills and coal-based power plants are found to be economical than new plants. In addition, 98.7 % of carbon emission was reduced when rice husk is used instead of coal for generating the equivalent quantity of power.

Indias y blancas. Rostros femeninos de la conquista y colonización del Chaco boliviano (siglo XIX)

These pages explore the generally unknown experiences of Creole and Indigenous women during the conquest and colonisation of the Bolivian Chaco during the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries. They accomplish so by examining women’s actions in several environments: war, the hacienda, military forts, sugar mills and the Franciscan missions. Although they are not quite prominent in the historical record, a careful analysis of these scenarios show that women were active agents of the colonisation of the Chaco and, perhaps above all, significant agents of mediation between two antagonistic worlds.

Composition of the microbial community in surface flow-constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment.

Traditionally constructed wetlands face significant limitations in treating tailwater from wastewater treatment plants, especially those associated with sugar mills. However, the advent of novel modified surface flow constructed wetlands offer a promising solution. This study aimed to assess the microbial community composition and compare the efficiencies of contaminant removal across different treatment wetlands: CW1 (Brick rubble, lignite, and Lemna minor L.), CW2 (Brick rubble and lignite), and CW3 (Lemna minor L.). The study also examined the impact of substrate and vegetation on the wetland systems. For a hydraulic retention time of 7 days, CW1 successfully removed more pollutants than CW2 and CW3. CW1 demonstrated removal rates of 72.19% for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), 74.82% for chemical oxygen demand (COD), 79.62% for NH4 +-N, 77.84% for NO3 --N, 87.73% for ortho phosphorous (OP), 78% for total dissolved solids (TDS), 74.1% for total nitrogen (TN), 81.07% for total phosphorous (TP), and 72.90% for total suspended solids (TSS). Furthermore, high-throughput sequencing analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that CW1 exhibited elevated Chao1, Shannon, and Simpson indices, with values of 1324.46, 8.8172, and 0.9941, respectively. The most common bacterial species in the wetland system were Proteobacteria, Spirochaetota, Bacteroidota, Desulfobacterota, and Chloroflexi. The denitrifying bacterial class Rhodobacteriaceae also had the highest content ratio within the wetland system. These results confirm that CW1 significantly improves the performance of water filtration. Therefore, this research provides valuable insights for wastewater treatment facilities aiming to incorporate surface flow-constructed wetland tailwater enhancement initiatives.

Enhancement of Sugarcane Maturity using Glyphosate and Bispyribac Sodium as Chemical Ripeners in Wet Climate

Sugarcane is often harvested at non-optimal maturity. Chemical ripeners (CRs) could be a solution, although they risk killing subsequent ratoon plants (SRPs). This research aimed to unravel glyphosate (Gly) and bispyribac sodium (BS) impacts as CRs on sugarcane maturity and SRPs’ growth. The research was conducted in Kebon Agung Sugar Mill, Malang, East Java, Indonesia, from May to July 2022, using the ten-month-old Bululawang variety and was sprayed with a drone. A randomized block design was used with four treatments, i.e., Gly 1,000 mL ha-1, BS 200 mL ha-1, BS 100 mL ha-1, and control. Results showed that BS 200 mL ha-1 led to a greater rise in Cane Content Sugar (CCS) and Sugar Cristal Yield (SCY) than BS 100 mL ha-1 and the control but was still lower than Gly 1 l ha-1. The best harvest time for optimal maturity was six to eight weeks after applying BS 200 mL ha-1. The highest gap was in Gly, i.e., 45% than control and can potentially lower SCY more than other CRs, while the gaps in the 100 and 200 mL ha-1 BS were 7.82% and 11.97%, respectively. The results suggest that low doses of Gly and BS can boost maturity and also avert SRPs’ death.

Energy and exergy analysis at the la joya sugar mill in Champotón, Campeche, Mexico

An energy and exergistic analysis was carried out on the bagacera boiler of the sugar mill "La Joya" located in Champotón, Campeche, making the following assumptions: the process develops in a permanent state, the mass that flows through the control volume does not suffer variations with respect to time, there are no work interactions of the system with the environment, changes in kinetic energy and potential energy are considered negligible, thermodynamic data were provided by the mill's operation and control center. It was found that by increasing the mass flow of feed water (mwater) and decreasing the temperature of the dead state (T0) there was the least destruction of exergy. Simulations were carried out to determine the energy and exegetical efficiencies of the mill as a whole with the help of the Software Engineering Equation Solver (EES). When modifying m ̇_water, with T0 at 25 ℃, and inlet water (Twater) 90 ℃, an increase was observed both efficiencies; the energetic reached a maximum of 88, and the exergetic of 31; It was also observed that the maximum energy efficiency is obtained with the Twater 45℃. On the contrary, the exergetic efficiency at 15.3. It was concluded that it is more important to increase the mass flow of inlet water to increase global efficiencies in mill facilities than its temperature.

Impact of climate change on rainfed sugarcane in Veracruz, Mexico

Objective: To estimate the expected quantitative changes of the rainfed sugarcane yield in four sugar mills in the state of Veracruz using climate change scenarios for the end of the 21st century and considering that the same climate change could also affect soil fertility. Design/methodology/approach: The data on the cultivated area with the rainfed sugarcane such as topography, principal properties of soil fertility, crop yields for the beginning of the 21st century, current climatic data from the meteorological stations and future ones based on existing climate change scenarios were analyzed. Then, by means of a physiological model of this crop based on biological, climatic and soil characteristics, proposed by IIASA/FAO, the current and future agricultural productivity of sugarcane was calculated. The actual productivity calculated with this model was compared with the observed data. Then, the productivity of this crop for the end of the 21st century was calculated. The comparative impact on the productivity of the expected changes in some climatic components and corresponding expected modification in soil fertility was assessed. Results: The results of calculations indicate that if the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere increases by 2 or 2.7 times at the end of the 21st century and the current varieties of sugarcane and their crop management will conserve, the yield of sugarcane will decrease up to 20% depending on the climate change scenario and location of the plot. The main climatic factor influencing the decrease in sugarcane productivity is the expected decrease in precipitation. Limitations on study/implications: Monthly average climatic variables are used for both current and future productivity calculations since there are no estimates of daily data. There are also no predictions on the development of crop management technology as well as on the expected change in pests and diseases for the end of the 21st century. Findings/conclusions: The IISA/FAO physiological model of sugarcane growth based on agroecological principles, considering even limited number of climatic variables, is useful for calculating of sugarcane productivity with correlations greater than 90% for calculated and observed data. This allowed us to estimate the expected impact of climate change in the productivity of rainfed sugarcane in Veracruz State of Mexico at the end of 21st century.

Use of mill by-products in the fallow in sugarcane production in Australia

Mill by-products such as mud, ash and mud/ash mixtures are known to increase cane and sugar yields. Traditionally, Australian growers broadcast these by-products in the fallow at rates greater than 150 t/ha. However, growers are now banding by-products at less than 100 t/ha, with few guidelines on how to maximise their returns from this practice. Eight commercial size replicated, randomised strip trials were established in bare fallows between Ingham and Proserpine to investigate the impact of by-products banded between 35 and 100 t/ha and broadcast between 140 and 200 t/ha on cane yield, CCS and grower net revenue compared to standard grower fallow practices. The trials were harvested each year over the crop cycle using a commercial harvester. Tonnes of cane harvested and mill CCS provided by the receiving sugar mill were used to calculate tonnes of cane per hectare and grower net revenue per hectare using the Australian cane payment method for each plot in a trial. The application of mud, mud/ash and ash increased cane yield with ash ≥ mud/ash &gt;&gt; mud. The greater the quantity of by-product applied, the greater the cane yield. Conversely, CCS decreased linearly with the quantity of mud, mud/ash, or ash applied. CCS was lowest in mud &lt;&lt; mud/ash ≤ ash. Cumulative grower net revenue at the end of the crop cycle was greatest in ash &gt; mud/ash &gt;&gt; mud and was greatest at application rates of 35–50 t/ha &gt; 70–100 t/ha &gt; 140–200 t/ha. Broadcasting mud at 200 t/ha resulted in the growers not recovering the cost of application. Banding by-products containing mud/ash and ash at 100 t/ha or less resulted in the grower recovering the cost of the product by the second or third ratoon. By-products applied at rates as low as 50 t/ha reduced CCS, and further research is needed to improve guidelines on nutrient and water management so that growers using these by-products can maximize their profitability.

On-line monitoring of C seed magma using the ITECA Crystobserver to improve performance

A microscope system, the Crystobserver (supplied by ITECA, France), was installed on the C seed evaporating crystallizer at Condong Mill, Australia, to monitor the crystal development in real-time. The system provides a high-quality image and measures important parameters such as average crystal size and number of crystals in the image. Analysis of data collected over two seasons confirms that the system is reliable in obtaining images with sufficient clarity to assist the operators in remotely monitoring the crystal development from shortly after slurry addition. The reliability of the measurements is satisfactory once the crystals are larger than 30 µm through to near the end of the C seed when the crystal density in the screen is high. The operators have found the Crystobserver to be very beneficial, allowing them to take corrective actions such as changing the amount of slurry addition or the purity of the feed syrup more quickly. The software in the system stores historical data from several strikes, including images and key parameters that can be accessed readily. The installation, microscope and software features and potential benefits to a raw sugar mill are described.

Electrocatalytic method to quantify the redox reactivity of agricultural byproducts

Redox reaction is one of the determining fate pathways for biofertilizer, bio-stimulant, and other biomass-derived soil amendments. Versatile electrochemical method is in demand to screen redox reactivity of solid samples with minimal pretreatments to maintain the material integrity. This study employed reductive (anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate) and oxidative (quercetin) mediators to visualize the electron donating and accepting functional groups in sugarcane mill mud, a potential bio-stimulant originating from raw sugar production. Mill mud was redox inert under the electrochemical conditions employed, and mediator was required to transfer electrons to and from the working electrodes. Peak areas of cyclic voltammograms were plotted as a function of sample weight, and the slope was used to compare samples. Higher redox reactivity was observed for aromatic, heat-treated (≈90 °C) mill mud samples, and those characteristics decreased by aging. Developed catalytic electrochemistry could be used to (1) screen organic carbon samples for plant growth stimulation in anoxic and sub-oxic soils and (2) monitor the life cycles of biomass feedstocks and value-added products for environmental fate pathways including redox transformation and photolysis.

Comparative techno-economics of 2,3-butanediol, polyhydroxybutyrate and citric acid production in a biorefinery using 1G and 1G2G sugarcane-based feedstocks

Product diversification in sugar mills has become imperative to ensure the sustainability of the global sugar industry. Here, the economic feasibility of six biorefinery scenarios, each annexed to a sugarcane mill, was evaluated through Aspen Plus® simulations and techno-economic analysis. Production of 2,3-butanediol, polyhydroxybutyrate and citric acid was compared using 1st-generation feedstock (A-molasses) or 1st- and 2nd-generation feedstock (A-molasses, sugarcane bagasse and brown leaves). The minimum selling prices of 2,3-butanediol (1st-generation – 1.91 $/kg; 1st-generation-2nd-generation – 2.28 $/kg) and polyhydroxybutyrate (1st-generation – 6.81 $/kg; 1st-generation-2nd-generation – 7.23 $/kg) were below their market prices (2.63 $/kg and 7.60 $/kg, respectively) deeming such biorefineries profitable. Both citric acid scenarios were unprofitable with minimum selling prices (1st-generation – 2.44 $/kg; 1st-generation-2nd-generation – 2.60 $/kg) above the market price (0.80 $/kg). Compared to alternative sugarcane biorefinery products, 2,3-butanediol and polyhydroxybutyrate are some of the few products showing attractive economics under current conditions.

Identification of Bacterial Communities Associated with Composting in Sugarcane Crops

The use of chemical fertilizers increases crop production costs worldwide. Substituting chemical fertilizers for biofertilizers has been one of the great challenges of modern agriculture. During the last decades, it has been observed that compost is an excellent strategy to optimize the production of crops of agronomic interest, such as sugarcane. These are considered one of the world’s top crops because of their great economic impact. Furthermore, the microbial diversity associated with crops of economic importance can be an indicator of soil quality. In this study, bacterial strains from two composting plants in a sugar mill in Colombia were characterized. A total of 40 bacterial isolates were analyzed using BBL Crystal, and 11 of the isolates that showed cellulolytic activity were molecularly characterized. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes species were predominantly present in the two plants that were analyzed. The genera Aeromonas, Pseudomonas, and Enterobacter showed the highest cellulose-degrading activity, and they have the potential to reduce the time taken for the degradation of organic waste derived from sugarcane processing in Colombia.