From sugar industry to cane industry: investigations on multivariate data analysis techniques in the identification of different high biomass sugarcane varieties

Abstract

Apart from sugar production, the sugarcane plant is now viewed as a high value lowcost feedstock for renewable energy. However, in depth studies on the biomass potential of the crop are relatively new and current varieties have not been optimised to achieve the required high biomass yield for different end-uses. The objective of this study was to examine the possibility of using multivariate data analysis (MVDA) techniques in the selection of different types of high biomass canes. Sixty genotypes of different generations of crosses were evaluated for 18 inter-related traits. Principal component analysis compressed the different characters into five major principal components (PCs). The first two explained 77 % of total variation. PC1 emphasised on the cane quality traits while PC2 stressed on biomass characteristics. The biplot with the two PCs was very helpful in visualising the existing variations in the population. Cluster analysis defined six major groups in the population. Candidates from three of them were found suitable for commercial exploitation, for either sugar, fibre, or both as the main end-products. The MVDA techniques were thus found to be very effective in assessing the extent of genetic divergence between genotypes in the population and in the selection of different types of high biomass canes for multipurpose use. It was also clear that sucrose content was positively associated with cane diameter while high fibre varieties tended to be thinner and taller than the traditional commercial varieties.

Deterioration and fermentability of energy cane juice

“…The first is a type closer to the conventional sugarcane but comparatively presenting lower sucrose content and higher fiber content, whereas Type II has still higher fiber content and almost no sugar at all, and for that reason, to be used exclusively for biomass exploitation. In between those extremes, all distinct sucrose and fiber tradeoff is presented by a segregant population of a cross between ancestors (RAMDOYAL & BADALOO, 2007;WANG et al, 2008;SANTCHURN et al, 2012). Type I energy cane can be exploited by conventional sugar cane distilleries to produce first generation ethanol (EG1) from its juice, along with steam and electric power from the bagasse (ALEXANDER, 1985;RAO et al, 2007;MATSUOKA et al, 2014).…”

Genetic diversity in sugarcane varieties in Brazil based on the Ward-Modified Location Model clustering strategy

“…In sugarcane, studies evaluating the genetic diversity have been conducted with the use of quantitative and qualitative traits, and/or with molecular markers (Da Silva et al, 2008;Oliveira et al, 2009;Duarte Filho et al, 2010;Dutra Filho et al, 2011;Sindhu et al, 2011;Santos et al, 2012;Santchurn et al, 2012;Perera et al, 2012). In these works, a high degree of genetic similarity between the genotypes has been found, resulting in the formation of few groups.…”

Genetic diversity and coefficient of parentage between clones and sugarcane varieties in Brazil

“…In sugarcane, studies evaluating the genetic diversity have been conducted using quantitative and qualitative characteristics or molecular markers (Silva et al, 2008;Duarte Filho et al, 2010;Dutra Filho et al, 2011;Sindhu et al, 2011;Perera et al, 2012;Santchurn et al, 2012;Santos et al, 2012). In these studies, high GS between the genotypes was verified, resulting in the formation of fewer groups.…”