Leaves

Stem

Node

Sugar Cane Plant

Sugarcane is one of the several species of tall perennial true grasses
of the genus Saccharum, tribe Andropogoneae, native to the warm
temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, and used for sugar
production. They have stout jointed fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar,
and measure two to six metres (6 to 19 feet) tall. All sugar cane species
interbreed and the major commercial cultivars are complex hybrids.
Sugarcane belongs to the grass family (Poaceae), an economically
important seed plant family that includes maize, wheat, rice, and sorghum
and many forage crops. The main product of sugarcane is sucrose, which
accumulates in the stalk internodes. Sucrose, extracted and purified in
specialized mill factories, is used as raw material in human food industries
or is fermented to produce ethanol. Ethanol is produced on a large scale
by the Brazilian sugarcane industry, The world demand for sugar is the

primary driver of sugarcane agriculture. Cane accounts for 80% of sugar

produced; most of the rest is made from sugar beets. Sugarcane
predominantly grows in the tropical and subtropical regions, and sugar
beet predominantly grows in colder temperate regions of the world. Other
than sugar, products derived from sugarcane include falernum, molasses,
rum, cachaa (a traditional spirit from Brazil), bagasse and ethanol. In
some regions, people use sugarcane reeds to make pens, mats, screens,
and thatch. The young unexpanded inflorescence of tebu telor is eaten
raw, steamed or toasted, and prepared in various ways in certain island
communities of Indonesia.
Sugar cane is known to be one of the most efficient convertor of
solar energy and carbon dioxide into biomass through the process of
photosynthesis. As such it contributes effectively to the reduction of
emission of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Sugar cane is known to be
one of the most efficient convertor of solar energy and carbon dioxide into
biomass through the process of photosynthesis. As such it contributes
effectively to the reduction of emission of the greenhouse gas carbon
dioxide. Furthermore, being one of the most efficient photo synthesizers,
sugar cane is the plant that can produce the most biomass per unit
surface area. Thus it has one of the highest coefficients for fixing
atmospheric carbon dioxide and is therefore well suited for alleviating
Greenhouse Gas emission when it is used for producing electricity to be
exported to the grid and ethanol in replacement of gasoline in motor
vehicles. Moreover the molasses, produced after extracting sugar from the
sugar cane juice, can be used in distilleries for producing ethanol. This

ethanol can be utilized for making rum or for powering motor vehicles in
replacement of fossil fuel, namely gasoline. Ethanol distillery projects form
part of the reform plan of the sugar sector. Some 150 000 tonnes of
molasses are obtained annually in Mauritius. Should all these molasses be
used to produce ethanol, then around 35 000 tonnes could be obtained
annually. The waste product of distilleries, namely vinasse, is used as
fertiliser either in irrigation water of sugar cane fields or in a concentrated
form and thus contribute to both the organic and inorganic matter
required as plant nutrients in the soil. Therefore, the sugar cane is one of
the most importance biotic organisms that gives sustainable ecological
environment in the world.