Sugarcane: Technology and Research

Renewable energy has been considered one of the most relevant tools to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and avoid other environmental issues. In this context, the constant pursuit to achieve sustainability has led farmers and scientists to go one step further through agriculture, using bioenergy crops. When it comes to production of these types of specialized species, sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is considered a successful and efficient model, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. Moreover, its industry represents one of the most important economic activities worldwide, providing about 80% of the sugar consumed in the planet and reducing emissions of carbon dioxide by hundreds of million tons in the last few years.

Sugarcane is grown commercially in the tropics and subtropics, and is known to be one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world. Nonetheless, facing the increasing population, and consequently, higher demand for sugar and biofuels, the demand for sugarcane and its by-products is set to increase in the next years. Thus, sugarcane research to improve sustainable production worldwide is the vital task of scientific community to address the increasing demands and needs for their products. In the last few decades, the results of wide-scale research have been applied, field mechanization has been improved, technical and agricultural methods have been developed, research and training extended and new methods established worldwide.