Saccharum spontaneum L. has contributed important traits to modern sugarcane (S. spp. L.) cultivars such as adaptation to environmental stress and ratooning ability. There is interest in further use of S. spontaneum in sugarcane improvement for sugar or energy‐from‐biomass production systems. In this study, parents and progeny from 43 biparental crosses between sugarcane and S. spontaneum clones were evaluated in field trials in China and Australia, along with several commercial cultivars. The S. spontaneum clones were from diverse geographic origins in China. Measurements were made on biomass composition (% dry matter, brix and pol in juice and cane, purity, fiber content) and yield components. Moderate to high (>0.7) broad‐sense heritabilities and high genetic variances were observed for most traits. About half the total genetic variance was retained as among‐family variance for the biomass composition traits, but this proportion was generally <25% for biomass yields. Midparent values in an independent trial predicted biomass composition traits reasonably well (generally, r > 0.6), but less so for cane and biomass yield (0 < r < 0.4). Genetic correlations between performance of families evaluated in different countries were strong, providing preliminary evidence that results in one country could be used for identifying elite families in the other. Strategies for efficient development and selection of elite clones from S. spontaneum are suggested.

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Two poplar lignin-carbohydrate complexes (LCCs), LCC-48 and LCC-72, were isolated at different milling times, 48 h and 72 h, respectively. A new hydrogel carrier was prepared from these LCCs in the presence of polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether as the crosslinker for cell (human hepatocyte (L-02)) culture. The effects of the structure of LCC on the carrier were investigated. The FT-IR spectra indicate that the two LCC samples were composed of lignin and polysaccharide, and showed a typical LCC structure. The galactose contents of LCC-48 and LCC-72 were 3.02% and 5.67%, respectively. The results of cell culture show that a large number of hepatocytes adhered to the porous carriers. Hepatocytes grown on the LCC carriers outperformed the control group in every observed category, including cell proliferation rate and metabolic activity. These results indicate that poplar LCC might be a great potential precursor of biological carriers for human hepatocytes culture.

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YZ05-51' (Reg. No. CV-161, PI 673444) sugarcane (a complex hybrid of Saccharum spp.) was developed through cooperative research conducted by the Yunnan Sugarcane Research Institute (YSRI) of Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and Yunnan Yunzhe Technology Development Co. Ltd. It was released to growers in mainland China on 1 Aug. 2013. YZ05-51 was selected from the cross Yacheng 90-56 × 'ROC 23' planned by YSRI and crossed at Yacheng Sugarcane Breeding Station (YSBS) of the Guangzhou Sugar Industry Research Institute, Yacheng, Hainan Province of mainland China in January 2005. The female parent (Yacheng 90-56) is an advanced clone developed by YSBS. The male parent (ROC23) is a cultivar developed by the Taiwan Sugar Research Institute. YZ05-51 was selected from a ive-stage selection program in YSRI and tested in the eighth China Regional Trial for Sugarcane Varieties at 14 locations in mainland China for 2 yr. YZ05-51 was released by the China Committee of Sugarcane Variety Release because of its higher cane yield compared with ROC16 and ROC22 (two reference cultivars) (7. 1 and 1.1%, respectively), its higher sugar yield compared with ROC16 and ROC22 (10.6 and 2.7%, respectively), and its resistance to drought, high resistance to smut (caused by Ustilago scitaminea H. & P. Sydow), and moderate resistance to mosaic (Sorghum mosaic virus and Sugarcane mosaic virus).