Production of sugarcane and tropical grasses as renewable energy source. Third annual report, 1979-1980

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6818170· OSTI ID:6818170

Research continued on tropical grasses from Saccharum and related genera as sources of intensively-propagated fiber and fermentable solids. Candidate screening for short-rotation grasses was expanded to include six sorghum x Sudan grass hybrids developed by the Dekalb Company. Sugacane and napier grass yield trends in year 3 include: (1) Increased yields with delay of harvest frequency; (2) lack of response to close spacing; (3) a superiority of napier grass over sugarcane when harvested at intervals of six months or less; and (4) a general superiority of the sugarcane variety NCo 310 over varieties PR 980 and PR 64-1791. Delayed tasseling of a wild, early-flowering S. spontaneum hybrid enabled three crosses to be made in December using commercial hybrids as female parents. Approximately 1000 seedlings were produced. The first field-scale minimum tillage experiment was completed. Sordan 77 produced 2.23 OD tons/acre/10 weeks, with winter growing conditions and a total moisture input of 4.75 inches. Mechanization trials included successful planting of napier grass with a sugarcane planter, and the mowing, solar-drying, and round--baling of napier grass aged three to six months. Production-cost and energy-balance studies were initiated during year 3 using first-ratoon data for intensively propagated sugarcane. Preliminary cost estimates for energy cane (sugarcane managed for total biomass rather than sucrose) were in the order of $25.46/OD ton, or about $1.70/mm Btus.

• Research Organization: Center for Energy and Environment Research, Rio Piedras (Puerto Rico)
• DOE Contract Number: AS05-78ET20071
• OSTI ID: 6818170
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/20071-T2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
GRASS
PRODUCTION
YIELDS
SORGHUM
SUGAR CANE
BIOMASS
CLONING
COST
CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ENERGY BALANCE
HARVESTING
NUTRIENTS
PLANT BREEDING
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SHORT ROTATION CULTIVATION
CEREALS
ECONOMICS
ENERGY SOURCES
GRAMINEAE
PLANTS
140504* - Solar Energy Conversion- Biomass Production & Conversion- (-1989)