Sugarcane Plantations In Brazil Research Articles

Modeling sugarcane development and growth within ECOSMOS biophysical model

Sugarcane plays an important role in electricity and sugar production and is a viable biofuel. Developing and optimizing a mechanism that can predict crop growth and yield at different spatiotemporal scales can promote the understanding of the effects of cultivation on the ecosystem, while providing options for optimizing management measures and improving the operational procedures of sugarcane growers. The main objective of this study is to integrate the sugarcane module into the ECOSystem MOdel Simulator (ECOSMOS) model and calibrate a parameter set for sugarcane genotypes groups (using different datasets); the model supports datasets that vary in complexity (from flux tower experiments to operational plots), while accounting for high genotype-by-environment-by-management (GxExM) variability. First, we calibrated the ECOSMOS biophysical and physiological parameters for the sugarcane module using two micrometeorological experimental sites, based on eddy-covariance and biomass measurements. Second, sugarcane genotypes located in different regions of contrasting climate conditions were split into two groups based on their period of harvest, i.e., early or mid-to-late harvest season, and two parameter sets were proposed. The sugarcane module was used to estimate the yield of numerous plots, using two different parameter sets, namely, the general and regionally-specific parameter sets. The model could successfully simulate the biophysical and physiological processes of the biomass of stalks and leaves, energy and carbon fluxes, and soil-water dynamics; for Experimental Site 2, the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) was 0.14–0.86 and the relative root mean square error (RRMSE) was 13–112. However, the generic parameter set did not perform well in all production environments, and the difference between the observed and simulated yields ranged from 0.9 to 14.5 (Mg ha-1). Hence, a novel calibration approach adopted in this study improved the module’s accuracy, while improving the performances for all five production environments, with the difference between the observed and simulate yields being 0.3–2.2 (Mg ha-1). Although the two parameter sets can be used as a reference for sugarcane plantations in Brazil, we recommend recalibrating the model (for ensuring higher accuracy) before operational applications. Notably, the ECOSMOS-sugarcane model is emerging as a complex ecosystem model that can support the quantifications and evaluations of the effects of sugarcane plantations on the carbon and water balances in different environmental conditions, particularly in tropical regions.

Emergence of Phaeocytostroma sacchari in sugarcane plantations in Brazil

Emergence of Phaeocytostroma sacchari in sugarcane plantations in Brazil

Parasitism of the leaf‐cutting ant Atta bisphaerica by phorid flies: biology and seasonal and inter‐colonial parasitism rates

AbstractThe leaf‐cutting ant Atta bisphaerica Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae, Attini) forages leaves from monocotyledons in natural environments and is a serious pest of pastures and sugarcane plantations in Brazil. This study investigated aspects of the interactions between A. bisphaerica and dipteran Phoridae parasitoids. The seasonal and inter‐colonial variations in parasitism rates were also investigated. Ants from four A. bisphaerica colonies were sampled, with a total of 91 554 worker ants collected and evaluated. Of these ants, 4.4% were found to have been parasitized by three phorid species: Apocephalus attophilus Borgmeier (relative parasitism rate: 40%), Myrmosicarius grandicornis Borgmeier (31%), and Eibesfeldtphora bragancai (Brown) (28%). The months with the lowest average temperatures, lowest relative humidity, and lowest rainfall (characteristics of the dry season of the region under study) corresponded to the highest parasitism rates, especially by A. attophilus. Apocephalus attophilus and E. bragancai had the highest relative parasitism rates in two of the colonies, 45 and 41%, whereas M. grandicornis was the dominant species in each of the other two colonies, corresponding to approximately 40% of total parasitism. The variation in parasitism rates observed between colonies could be explained, at least in part, by the relationship between the size of the parasitoids and the size of the host ants. Concerning the biological characteristics, A. attophilus had the shortest life cycle, the highest successful emergence rate, and produced 2.5× more parasitoids per host. These characteristics, combined with the ability to cause higher levels of mortality of parasitized worker ants when compared to the two other phorid species, indicates that A. attophilus is an efficient natural enemy of A. bisphaerica and is therefore a candidate for a biocontrol program.

Attraction of the sugarcane billbug, Sphenophorus levis, to vinasse and its volatile composition

The expansion of sugarcane plantations in Brazil and the discarding of vinasse into the sugarcane field have been speculated to contribute to the growing population of the billbug Sphenophorus levis. This beetle attacks the root system and forms galleries in rhizomes, causing damage or even the death of host plants. It has been suspected that vinasse, a residue from ethanol production, can release volatiles that are attractive to the insect; however, no study has addressed this hypothesis so far. The aim of this study was to investigate the attractiveness of vinasse to S. levis adults and identify the volatile compounds released by this substance using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). We found that vinasse was more attractive to S. levis than sugarcane stems, molasses and wastewater under laboratory conditions, but not than cane stems at field conditions. Our GC–MS analysis revealed the presence of primary alcohols, terpenes and organic carboxylic acids in vinasse. When a mixture of the commercial synthetic compounds identified in the chemical analysis was tested in the laboratory, a strong attraction of the insects to the mixture was observed. Our results help to explain how vinasse can contribute to the infestations of S. levis in sugarcane fields and shed new light on the development of strategies to control this pest using chemical attractants.

The sustainability of a sugarcane plantation in Brazil assessed by the eddy covariance fluxes of greenhouse gases

The sustainability of sugarcane farming for biofuel has recently become a subject of debate, because its expansion may contribute significantly to global climate change mitigation. Here we report greenhouse gases (GHG) fluxes, measured by the eddy covariance method, from a commercial scale rain-fed sugarcane plantation representative of the leading bioethanol production area in southeast Brazil. The measurements covered two harvests, during which the field received nitrogen fertilization and trash was not removed.The cumulative fluxes for nitrous oxide (N2O) (62.4 ± 1.3 and 52.3 ± 1.8 g N2OCO2 eq. m−2 for the first and second years, respectively) and methane (CH4) (12.1 ± 1.7 and 10.4 ± 2.3 g CH4CO2 eq. m−2 for the first and second years, respectively) were minor sources to the atmosphere in comparison with the net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of carbon dioxide (CO2), whose sink dominated the balances (−7643. ± 129. and -4615. ± 124. g CO2 m−2 for the first and second years, respectively). Compared to the first year, the observed NEE in the second year decreased by 40%, as it covered the first re-growth from the stubble (ratoon) and exhibited a shorter growth cycle than the first year (304 versus 390 days). The second year also included the partial decomposition of the trash remaining on the soil after the first harvest (1581 ± 301 g CO2 m−2).The net ecosystem carbon balances (NECB), obtained as the cumulative fluxes of GHGs and the stalk dry biomass removed in the harvests (4923 ± 459 and 3929 ± 352 g CO2 m−2 for the first and second years, respectively) were -2646 ± 459 and -623 ± 352 g CO2 m−2 for the first and second years, respectively. Although the yields in stalk fresh weight (SFW) were representative of the region (9.9 and 8.2 kg SFW m−2, in the first and second year respectively) other factors caused a decrease of 76% in NECB, stressing the importance of the CO2 balance (assimilation versus respiration). Nevertheless, this sugarcane agro-system was an overall carbon sink with the N2O and CH4 emitted totals being offset by the net carbon gain.

Eye malformation baseline in Scinax fuscovarius larvae populations that inhabit agroecosystem ponds in southern Brazil

Abstract Events of mass malformations in amphibian populations that have exceeded historical records have been reported over the past thirty years. Many of these events have been linked to human activities that occurred near amphibian breeding habitats. The rise in biofuels has promoted, and continues to promote, the growth of sugarcane plantations in Brazil, with the northwest region of São Paulo State having experienced the largest sugarcane expansion over the past few decades. In this region, we sampled temporary ponds located in agroecosystems dominated to different degrees by sugarcane. We found several larvae of Scinax fuscovarius with eye malformations (anophthalmia, aphakia, microphthalmia and sub-development). In this study, we assessed whether the distance from the ponds to the nearest sugarcane crop, the proportion of sugarcane surrounding the ponds, the presence of pesticides in the ponds, or the proportion of land uses with potential teratogens that surround the ponds were related to the frequencies of amphibian eye malformations. We found pesticides present in 11 of the 18 ponds, but none of the predictor variables was associated with the frequencies of amphibian eye malformations. Thus, our results suggest that the observed frequencies of amphibian eye malformations could be a consequence of natural mutation rates, and these data could be used as a malformation baseline for the region. This malformation baseline is the first reported for amphibians in South America and may be useful in future surveys on amphibian populations in tropical agroecosystems.

Toxicity Studies of Ametryne to Land and Aquatic Organisms

The ametryne herbicide is largely used on sugar cane plantation in Brazil. It is persistent in the environment and can be found in bodies of water, impacting the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Generally, in crops are applied mixtures of herbicides in order to obtain a higher success in combating weeds. This study evaluated the toxicity only of ametryne herbicide, without mixture with other herbicides, in order to quantify only the degree of dangerousness. This work evaluated the toxicity of ametryne to one aquatic test organism (Daphnia similis) and two land test organism (Eruca sativa and Lactuca sativa). Immobility of D. similis was evaluated in the presence of ametryne. Influences of ametryne on seed germination and root growth of E. sativa and L. sativa were evaluated. Even at low concentrations (5.00 mg/L), ametryne caused toxic effects on the mobility of D. similis, and 0.25 g/L caused toxic effects on the seeds. Root growth and the percentage of inhibition showed greater sensitivity to ametryne compared with seed germination. Thus, ametryne resulted in toxic effects to the analyzed organisms, which may bring damage to both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

Um huguenote e um católico e a questão da (in)dissolubilidade do matrimônio em Luanda, no século XVII (A Gloriosa Família, de Pepetela (1997)).

<p>O objetivo do estudo é evocar no romance <em>A Gloriosa Família</em>, do angolano Pepetela (1997), a dimensão internacional de um confronto religioso entre a nobreza católica, liderada pelos Guise, e a burguesia calvinista, apoiada pelos Bourbon, que culminou no massacre dos huguenotes, protestantes franceses, na noite de São Bartolomeu (1572), em Paris, e desencadeou a fuga dos sobreviventes para a Holanda e outros países. No “novo romance histórico”, que mostra a trajetória da família mestiça Van Dum, nos anos da ocupação de Luanda pelos holandeses (1641 a 1648), em acirrada competição com os portugueses pelos escravos para as plantações de cana-de-açúcar do Brasil, desenrola-se um conflito de fé e dogma entre um huguenote e um católico sobre o casamento: Jean Du Plessis e seu sogro Baltazar Van Dum. O oficial de ascendência francesa, nascido na Niederlande, aportou em Luanda (1641), como membro do exército conquistador e se casou com Matilde que cometeu adultério. Diante dessa tragédia familiar, o marido optou pela ruptura do casamento, que não tem caráter sacramental, segundo a tradição calvinista, e abalou o alicerce católico da ideologia da não dissolução matrimonial.</p>

The influence of sugarcane crop development on rainfall interception losses

The expansion of sugarcane plantations in Brazil has raised concerns regarding its hydrological impacts. One of these impacts is related to rainfall interception, which can be expected to vary in response to substantial changes in canopy structure throughout the cropping cycle. We collected field measurements to determine interception losses and interpreted the observations using an adapted Gash model during different stages of a sugarcane ratoon cropping cycle. Cumulative gross rainfall (PG), throughfall (TF) and stemflow (SF) were measured biweekly, along with vegetation structure measurements of leaf area index (LAI) and plant height. For the first 300days after the first harvest, the cumulative PG of 1095mm was partitioned into 635mm TF (58%) and 263mm SF (24%). The inferred interception loss (IL) was 263mm (24%). There was a gradual and clear increase in IL from 3% to 46% while partitioning between TF and SF also changed during ratoon regrowth. After model parameter optimisation, observed IL was simulated satisfactorily. Model estimates suggested that evaporation from the saturated canopy is the main IL pathway, followed by evaporation after storms. Plant architecture, LAI and meteorological conditions during the cropping cycle appeared the main factors determining IL.

Comparison Between Ground Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Communities Foraging in the Straw Mulch of Sugarcane Crops and in the Leaf Litter of Neighboring Forests.

In many sugarcane plantations in Brazil, the straw is left on the soil after harvesting, and vinasse, a by-product of the production of sugar and ethanol, is used for fertigation. Our goal was to compare ant community composition and species richness in the straw mulch of sugarcane crops with the leaf litter of neighboring forests. We tested the hypothesis that ant communities in the straw mulch of vinasse-irrigated sugarcane crops and in the forest leaf litter were similar, because the combination of straw mulching and vinasse irrigation has a positive effect on soil fauna. Straw mulch and leaf litter were collected from 21 sites and placed in Berlese funnels. In total, 61 species were found in the forest leaf litter, whereas 34 and 28 species were found in the straw mulch of sugarcane fields with and without vinasse, respectively. Ant communities differed between forest and crop fields, but the species in the sugarcane straw mulch were a subset of the species found in the forest leaf litter. Although vinasse is rich in organic matter, it did not increase ant diversity. Seven feeding and/or foraging types were identified and, among the different types, surface-foraging omnivorous ants were the most prevalent in all habitats. Vinasse-irrigated sugarcane straw mulch had more predatory species than mulch from vinasse-free fields, but fewer than forest leaf litter. However, this positive effect of vinasse irrigation should be carefully evaluated because vinasse has negative effects on the environment.

<b>A sampling plan and spatial distribution for site-specific control of <i>Sphenophorus levis</i> in sugarcane

Sphenophorus levis has become a major pest of sugarcane plantations in Brazil, causing significant losses in productivity. Few studies have been conducted on the spatial distribution of this pest in the field, which is essential for the development of sampling plans. We aimed to characterize the spatial distribution of S. levis in sugarcane, defining a reliable, practical and feasible sampling plan, as well as generating application maps for production areas, allowing for comparison of the consumption of inputs in a conventional system with site-specific application. The study was conducted in areas around Piracicaba, Brazil. First, we conducted sampling to evaluate the best sampling density to characterize the spatial dependence. The results showed that the procedure in which the evaluators entered every 20 rows of sugarcane and sampled every 20 m was sufficient to characterize the spatial dependence. In separate areas, the sampling was performed similarly to the previous step, and after generating the application maps, insecticide was applied on a site-specific basis. Even using the more strict control level defined by the producer, there was considerable saving for the pesticide used. In the two fields, the percentage of the infestation-free area was 56.1 and 80.7%.

Draft Genome Sequence of the Polyhydroxyalkanoate-Producing Bacterium Burkholderia sacchari LMG 19450 Isolated from Brazilian Sugarcane Plantation Soil.

Burkholderia sacchari LMG 19450, isolated from the soil of a sugarcane plantation in Brazil, accumulates large amounts of polyhydroxyalkanoates from sucrose, xylose, other carbohydrates, and organic acids. We present the draft genome sequence of this industrially relevant bacterium, which is 7.2 Mb in size and has a G+C content of 64%.

Payback time for soil carbon and sugar-cane ethanol

Sugar cane is increasingly cultivated for bioenergy. This work looks at the effects on the soil-carbon balance of converting native vegetation, pastures or existing cropland, to sugar-cane plantations in Brazil, the world’s largest producer. The findings of the study should help shape policies aimed at achieving more sustainable sugar-cane production in Brazil as demand for biofuels grows.

Fluxes of CO2 above a sugarcane plantation in Brazil

Fluxes of CO2 were measured above a sugarcane plantation using the eddy-covariance method covering two growth cycles, representing the second and third re-growth (ratoons) harvested with stubble burning. The total net ecosystem exchange (NEE) in the first cycle (second ratoon, 393 days long) was −1964±44gCm−2; the gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) was 3612±46gCm−2 and the ecosystem respiration (RE) was 1648±14gCm−2. The NEE and GEP totals in the second cycle (third ratoon, 374 days long) decreased 51% and 25%, respectively and RE increased 7%. Accounting for the carbon emitted during biomass burning and the removal of stalks at harvest, net ecosystem carbon balance (NECB) totals were 102±130gCm−2 and 403±84gCm−2 in each cycle respectively. Thus the sugarcane agrosystem was approximately carbon neutral in the second ratoon. Yield in stalks fresh weight (SFW) attained the regional average (8.3kgSFWm−2). Although it was a carbon source to the atmosphere, observed productivity (6.2kgSFWm−2) of the third ratoon was 19% lower than the regional average due to the lower water availability observed during the initial 120 days of re-growth. However, the overall water use efficiency (WUE) achieved in the first cycle (4.3gCkg−1H2O) decreased only 5% in the second cycle.

Soil microbial biomass and activity under natural and regenerated forests and conventional sugarcane plantations in Brazil

The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in soil microbial biomass and activity after the regeneration of deforested and cultivated soil in Brazil. Soil sampling was carried out in June and December 2007 (wet and dry seasons, respectively), at four areas, including: a native forest (NF), a 10years old regenerated forest (RF10), a 20years old regenerated forest (RF20) and a conventional sugarcane plantation (CL). Microbial biomass C, substrate-induced respiration and cellulase, saccharase, hydrolysis of fluorescein diacetate and dehydrogenase activities were analyzed. The microbial variables varied significantly among different areas depending on the season. Usually, larger differences were observed in the RF10 than in others, in dry season, for soil microbial biomass C and enzyme activities. The multidimensional scaling analysis showed that the RF10 has distinct microbial and biochemical characteristics comparing with the other areas. In general form, microbial activity, as measured by enzyme activities, is higher in native forest and regenerated lands than in cropland.

Cellulase Production by Streptomyces viridobrunneus SCPE-09 Using Lignocellulosic Biomass as Inducer Substrate

An actinomycete strain, isolated from a soil sample under a sugar cane plantation in Brazil and identified as Streptomyces viridobrunneus SCPE-09, was selected as a promising cellulolytic strain, and tested for its ability to produce cellulases from agro-industrial residues. Sugar cane bagasse or wheat bran was tested as carbon source, and corn steep liquor tested as nitrogen source. Different concentrations of carbon and nitrogen were tested using factorial design to identify optimal cellulose production. The results showed that media containing wheat bran 2.0% (w/v) and corn steep liquid 0.19% (w/v) lead to the highest production, 2.0 U mL(-1) of CMCase, obtained on the fifth day of fermentation. The pH and temperature profile showed optimal activity at pH 4.9 and 50°C. As for thermostability, endoglucanases were most tolerant at 50°C, retaining more than 80% of maximal activity even after 2 h of incubation. Zymogram analyses using supernatant from growth under optimized conditions revealed the presence of two CMCase bands with apparent molecular masses of 37 and 119 kDa. The combination of pH tolerance and CMCase production from agro-industrial residues by S. viridobrunneus SCPE-09 offers promise for future bioethanol biotechnologies.

Queimadas de cana-de-açúcar no Brasil: efeitos à saúde respiratória

The article aimed to update scientific literature information about respiratory health effects caused by sugarcane burning, considering the expansion of sugarcane plantations in Brazil and in the state of São Paulo. Articles published between 1996 and 2006, which deal with the health effects of sugarcane burning and/or air pollutants originating from this burning, were discussed. These studies suggest that part of the population--especially the elderly, children and asthmatics--suffers health effects of sugarcane burning. As a result, these people require health care, thus affecting health services and their families.

Characterization of mycoviruses and analyses of chitinase secretion in the biocontrol fungus Metarhizium anisopliae.

Metarhizium anisopliae is the best-characterized entomopathogen and is used to control insect pests in sugar cane plantations in Brazil on a commercial scale. We have previously reported the infection of some M. anisopliae strains by dsRNA mycoviruses. Here we describe the purification and characterization of the viruses (MaV-A1, MaV-M5, MaV-RJ) in terms of dsRNA content, capsid proteins, electron microscopy, Western blot, and hybridization patterns. One spontaneous mutant lost some of the high molecular weight dsRNA components and showed significant alterations in colony morphology and spore production, suggesting that viral genes interfere with fungal phenotype. A comparison between dsRNA mycovirus-free and infected M. anisopliae isolates showed that virus-free isolates have increased endochitinase secretion. By comparing the following parameters: the buoyant density in CsCl of the presumed virions; the number and estimated molecular weight of the dsRNA components and the molecular mass of the capsid proteins to other mycoviruses previously described, we suggest the inclusion of MaV-A1 and MaV-M5 in the family Totiviridae and MaV-RJ in the family Partitiviridae.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate-accumulating bacterium isolated from soil of a sugar-cane plantation in Brazil.

Strain IPT101T, isolated from the soil of a sugar-cane plantation in Brazil, was analysed in a polyphasic taxonomic study. The strain produces polyhydroxyalkanoates from sucrose and other carbon sources. Morphological, physiological and biochemical data as well as 16S rDNA, whole-cell protein and fatty acid analyses indicated that strain IPT101T represents a new species in the genus Burkholderia. The name Burkholderia sacchari sp. nov. is proposed, with strain IPT101T (= LMG 19450T = CCT 6771T) as the type strain.