Sugarcane 'UFCP 74-1010' (Reg. No. CV-160, PI 673048) was released by the University of Florida and the USDA-ARS, Canal Point, for its potential use in cellulosic ethanol production. UFCP 74-1010, a cross between sugarcane (a complex hybrid of Saccharum spp.) cultivars CP 66-56-4 and CL 47-83. UFCP 74-1010 is a high iber sugarcane that has been released to improve biomass production for cellulosic ethanol production in Florida. UFCP 74-1010 is moderately resistant to smut (caused by Sporisorium scitamineum) with signiicantly lower infestation compared with a reference check, 'L 79-1002', under both natural environmental conditions and artiicial inoculations. UFCP 74-1010 is also resistant to brown rust (caused by Puccinia melanocephala H. and P. Sydow), orange rust (caused by P. kuehnii), and mosaic (caused by Sugarcane mosaic virus) and is moderately resistant to leaf scald [Xanthomonas albilineans (Ashby) Dawson]. Mean dry biomass yield of UFCP 74-1010 (29.2 Mg ha −1 ) was approximately 5% higher than L 79-1002 (27.9 Mg ha −1 ), averaged across eight location-years of ield trials. Plant composition of UFCP 74-1010 is similar to L 79-1002 with 41.9% cellulose, 27.8% hemicellulose, 22.4% lignin, 5.0% ash, and 1.6% structural protein. UFCP 74-1010 is released to be cultivated

Abstract. The urgent need to reduce our reliance on oil and at the same time reduce carbon emissions, has triggered the search for alternative energy sources such as biofuels. New technologies have made possible the conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose into sugars that can be fermented to produce ethanol. This opened the possibility that any plant species can be used for ethanol production. Species that produce large amounts of biomass in a short time are desirable. For this reason, one of the most critical steps in the development of biofuel production is to identify appropriate species that will provide the necessary biomass for cellulosic ethanol or direct combustion. Energycanes are wide crosses of commercial sugarcane (a complex hybrid of Saccharum spp.) with S. spontaneum clones which produce high-biomass plants with high fiber content and good cold and disease tolerance as well as excellent ratooning ability. A large scale study has been established to evaluate biomass production, growth characteristics and invasive potential of energycane clones under tropical (Limón, Costa Rica) and subtropical (South Florida) conditions since 2008. In Florida in a low fertility sandy soil, energycane clones and the grass species Pennisetum purpureum var. Merkeron showed the highest yields ranging from 50 to 78 ton ha -1 of fresh weight. These clones were not susceptible to smut (Sporisorium scitaminea) unlike the energycane L79-1002 which is currently the most widely grown clone of energycane. Most clones showed lateral vegetative growth, but no pollen or seed viability. In Costa Rica, the evaluation of 15 energycane clones is still in progress, however preliminary results indicated that the energycane clones had faster and more vigorous growth than the commercial sugarcane varieties, only exceeded by P. purpureum. In comparison with commercial sugarcane varieties, the energycane clones recorded 37% higher leaf area index (LAI) and height, and 65% more stalks per unit area. No evident disease susceptibility was observed in the energycane clones in the tropics, although lateral vegetative growth was observed in all clones. Additionally, all clones flowered and produced viable pollen which suggests that these clones have a higher invasive potential in the tropics. The information available until now suggests that the behavior of energycane germplasm varies importantly between tropical and sub-tropical conditions. Therefore, selection and breeding programs must be carefully developed accounting for the unique responses that this germplasm could show under these two different climatic conditions. Key words: Biomass, biofuel, invasiveness, feedstock.Criterios de selección y desempeño de clones de caña energética (Saccharum spp. × S. spontaneum) para la producción de biomasa en condiciones tropicales y subtropicalesResumen. La necesidad urgente de reducir nuestra dependencia del petróleo y al mismo tiempo reducir las emisiones de carbono ha promovido la búsqueda de fuentes alternativas de energía tales como los biocombu...

‘UFCP 87‐0053’ (Reg. No. CV‐166; PI 674425) sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) cultivar was released by the USDA‐ARS, Canal Point (CP), FL, and the University of Florida (UF) for its potential use in cellulosic ethanol production. UFCP 87‐0053 is a high‐fiber sugarcane clone, which was developed to produce genetic diversity in a feedstock for cellulosic ethanol production in Florida. The UFCP 87‐0053 clone results from a CP cross of unknown parents, yet it can be distinguished molecularly, and is genotypically distinct, from other energy cane cultivars released concurrently. UFCP 87‐0053 is highly resistant to smut (caused by Sporisorium scitamineum). in field conditions, with significantly lower infestation than the reference cultivar L 79‐1002. Following both naturally occurring environmental and artificial inoculations. UFCP 87‐0053 was also resistant, or moderately resistant, to several other sugarcane diseases, including brown rust (caused by Puccinia melanocephala Syd. and P. Syd.), orange rust [P. kuehnii (Kruger) E. Butler], leaf scald [caused by Xanthomonas albilineans (Ashby) Dawson], and Sugarcane mosaic virus. Mean dry biomass yield of UFCP 87‐0053 was approximately 5% greater than L 79‐1002. Plant composition of UFCP 87‐0053 was similar to L 79‐1002. UFCP 87‐0053 was released to be cultivated on marginal or sandy soils of Florida for cellulosic ethanol production.

‘UFCP 82‐1655’ (Reg. No. CV‐164; PI 673050), a high fiber and low sucrose sugarcane, also called energy cane (a complex hybrid of Saccharum sp.), was developed through the collaborative effort of the University of Florida (UF) and the USDA‐ARS, Canal Point (CP) for its potential use in cellulosic ethanol production in Florida. UFCP 82‐1655 has moderate to high resistance against smut (caused by Sporisorium scitamineum). UFCP 82‐1655 did not have any natural infestation of brown rust (caused by Puccinia melanocephala H. & P. Sydow), orange rust (caused by P. kuehnii), mosaic (caused by Sugarcane mosaic virus) and leaf scald [caused by Xanthomonas albilinenas (Ashby) Dawson]. Dry biomass yield (soluble plus insoluble dry weight) of UFCP 82‐1655 was not significantly different from ‘L 79‐1002’. Averaged across different crop cycles (plant cane, first ratoon, second ratoon, and third ratoon) at three locations in Florida (Citra, Tecan and Lykes Bros. farms), mean dry biomass yield of UFCP 82‐1655 was 32.7 Mg ha−1 compared with 30.6 Mg ha−1 for the reference check, L 79‐1002. Plant composition (% fiber) of UFCP 82‐1655 is composed of 41.7% cellulose, 27.9% hemicellulose, 22.6% lignin, 2.6% nonstructural ash, 2% structural ash, and 1.6% structural protein, which is quite similar to L 79‐1002. UFCP 82‐1655 is released to enhance genetic diversity and to improve disease resistance in energy cane.

Sugarcane (a complex hybrid of Saccharum sp.) cultivar UFCP 78‐1013 (Reg. No. CV‐162; PI 673049) was developed through the collaborative efforts of the University of Florida (UF) and the USDA‐ARS, Canal Point (CP), and released for its potential use in cellulosic ethanol production in Florida. Biomass is the most favorable characteristic of a potential feedstock for cellulosic ethanol production and must be improved in cultivars adapted to Florida conditions should cellulosic ethanol prove feasible for energy production. Averaged across eight location‐years of field trials, mean dry biomass yield of UFCP 78‐1013 was numerically greater than the reference check, ‘L 79‐1002’. Plant composition of UFCP 78‐1013 is similar to L 79‐1002. The parents for UFCP 78‐1013 are the sugarcane cultivar CP 68‐1067 (female parent) and S. spontaneum line SES 602 (male parent). UFCP 78‐1013 has moderate to high resistance against smut (caused by Sporisorium scitamineum) with significantly lower infestation than L 79‐1002, under both natural environmental conditions and artificial inoculation. UFCP 78‐1013 did not have symptoms of brown rust (caused by Puccinia melanocephala H. & P. Sydow), orange rust (caused by P. kuehnii), mosaic (caused by Sugarcane mosaic virus) or leaf scald [caused by Xanthomonas albilineans (Ashby) Dowson] during field evaluations. UFCP 78‐1013 is adapted to marginal or sandy soils of Florida.