Determining Factors and Economic Injury Levels for Sphenophorus levis for Chemical and Biological Control in Irrigated and Non-irrigated Sugarcane Crops.

Globally, people use sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) to produce sugar and ethanol. Rainfed or irrigated sugarcane agricultural systems are available. Among the pests affecting this crop, the weevil Sphenophorus levis, Vaurie 1978 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is increasingly becoming a significant threat in southern South America. Sphenophorus levis populations are controlled using chemical or biological measures. Control decisions hinge upon the economic injury level (EIL). The EIL delineates the pest density that results in financial losses for producers. This study aims to determine the EIL for S. levis, considering the factors favoring this insect pest and chemical and biological control methods in rainfed and irrigated systems. The intensity of S. levis attacks was monitored in commercial sugarcane plantations over four years in João Pinheiro, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Sampling occurred in a 50 × 50 × 30-cm-deep trench dug in the soil surrounding the sugarcane clump. The total number of stumps in the clump, including those attacked by S. levis, was tallied. The EILs for this pest were 5.93% and 4.85% of targeted stumps for chemical control in rainfed and irrigated crops, respectively. Biological control in sugarcane plots resulted in an EIL of 4.15% and 3.40% for stumps attacked in rainfed and irrigated crops, respectively. Pest attacks were more severe during rainy years and in older sugarcane crops. The EIL values determined in this study could inform integrated pest management programs for sugarcane crops.

Unraveling the Potential of Saccharum officinarum and Chlorella vulgaris towards 5-Fluorouracil-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Rats.

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is often used as a chemotherapeutic agent in treating tumors and is said to have adverse effects, including nephrotoxicity. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of Chlorella vulgaris (VL) and Saccharum officinarum L. (SOL) against 5-FU-induced nephrotoxicity in rats through the measurement of renal histology, kidney damage indicators, and antioxidant measures. A total of forty-eight male rats were allotted into six groups: group 1 acted as a control negative group (control), group 2 received 5-FU and worked as a control positive group (FU), group 3 received SOL 15 mL/kg (SOL), group 4 received VL 400 mg/kg (VL), group 5 received 5-FU+SOL (5-FU+SOL), and group 6 received 5-FU+VL (5-FU+VL). After fifteen days, blood and renal tissue specimens were collected for hematological, biochemical, molecular, and histopathological examinations. Findings of the current investigation showed that 5-FU leads to hematological alterations and kidney injury evinced by elevated serum concentrations of uric acid, creatinine, and urea (p < 0.01), and a marked increase in kidney MDA and NO levels with a reduction in kidney CAT, SOD and GSH activities (p < 0.05). Alterations of the histopathological structure of kidney tissue in the FU group were noticed compared to the other groups. 5-FU administration elevated expression levels of TNF-α, lipocalin 2, and KIM1 (p < 0.01) compared to the control ones. 5-FU-induced nephrotoxicity was ameliorated after treatment with SOL and VL via their free radical scavenging, potent antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that the treatment with SOL and VL significantly improved nephrotoxicity induced by 5-FU in rats.

Agronomic performance and technological quality of sugarcane submitted to different poultry litter dosages.

Sugarcane is a central crop for sugar and ethanol production. Investing in sustainable practices can enhance productivity, technological quality, mitigate impacts, and contribute to a cleaner energy future. Among the factors that help increase the productivity of sugarcane, the physical, chemical and biological parameters of the soil are amongst the most important. The use of poultry litter has been an important alternative for soil improvement, as it acts as a soil conditioner. Therefore, this work aimed to verify the best doses of poultry litter for the vegetative, reproductive and technological components of sugarcane. The experiment was carried out at Usina Denusa Destilaria Nova União S/A in the municipality of Jandaia, GO. The experimental design used was a complete randomized block design with four replications: 5 × 4, totaling 20 experimental units. The evaluated factor consisted of four doses of poultry litter plus the control (0 (control), 2, 4, 6 and 8 t ha-1). In this study, were evaluated the number of tillers, lower stem diameter, average stem diameter, upper stem diameter, plant height, stem weight and productivity. The technological variables of total recoverable sugar, recoverable sugar, Brix, fiber, purity and percentage of oligosaccharides were also evaluated. It was observed, within the conditions of this experiment, that the insertion of poultry litter did not interfere significantly in most biometric, productive and technological variables of the sugarcane. But it can also be inferred that there was a statistical trend toward better results when the sugarcane was cultivated with 4 t ha-1 of poultry litter.

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) induces psychostimulant, anxiolytic-like effects and improvement of motor performance in rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is reported by traditional medicine as tonic, stimulating and beneficial in increasing resistance to fatigue. Previous preclinical studies in rats using aqueous extract of sugarcane leaves (AE) revealed pharmacological effects on the central nervous and cardiovascular systems involving the participation of dopaminergic pathways. This neurotransmission system is also related to motor, emotional and cognitive activities, which could, in part, justify the ethnopharmacological information. AIM OF STUDY: The present study aimed to investigate the motor, emotional and cognitive activities of rats submitted to AE treatment using behavioral tests in order to correlate the pharmacological effects with the therapeutic benefits postulated by traditional medicine. Additionally, the chemical profile of AE was evaluated by HPLC-UV/Vis, and the presence of shikimic acid, vitexin, and ferulic acid, as possible chemical markers, was investigated through comparisons of chemical parameters with the authentic patterns, and a UV-Vis scan of known spectra. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Rats received water (1.5 mL/kg, p.o.) and AE (0.5, 10 and 500 mg/kg, p.o.) in the absence and presence of haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.), 90 min before open field; rotarod; elevated plus maze and inhibitory avoidance tests for investigation of motor; emotional and cognitive responses. As a positive control was used apomorphine (0.25 mg/kg, s.c.). The chemical profile of AE was evaluated by HPLC-UV/Vis and the presence of shikimic acid, vitexin and ferulic acid, as possible chemical markers, was investigated through comparisons with the retention times, an increase of the integral of the peak area determined by co-injection of AE with the authentic patterns, and a UV-Vis scan of known spectra. RESULTS: In open field, it revealed that AE increased locomotion; reduced rearing but did not change freezing and grooming. Besides, AE increased motor performance in rotarod and reduced anxiety in elevated plus maze. A relation dose-response was observed in these tests where the lowest dose of AE was more effective in developing pharmacological responses. Previous administration of haloperidol inhibited the responses of AE. Inhibitory avoidance test revealed that AE did not modify fast-learning and associative memory. CONCLUSIONS: Sugarcane induced psychostimulant, anxiolytic-like effects, and improvement of motor performance in rats, with the involvement of dopaminergic pathways. The present study points to AE as a potential adaptogen but, in addition to behavioral assessments, metabolic and molecular aspects, that involve the participation of a variety of regulatory systems, will be investigated in futures studies. Phytochemical analyses showed that AE is a complex matrix and revealed shikimic acid, vitexin, and ferulic acid as potential chemical markers.

A study on waterlogging tolerance in sugarcane: a comprehensive review.

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) is an important crop, native to tropical and subtropical regions and it is a major source of sugar and Bioenergy in the world. Abiotic stress is defined as environmental conditions that reduce growth and yield below the optimum level. To tolerate these abiotic stresses, plants initiate several molecular, cellular, and physiological changes. These responses to abiotic stresses are dynamic and complex; they may be reversible or irreversible. Waterlogging is an abiotic stress phenomenon that drastically reduces the growth and survival of sugarcane, which leads to a 15-45% reduction in cane's yield. The extent of damage due to waterlogging depends on genotypes, environmental conditions, stage of development and duration of stress. An improved understanding of the physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of sugarcane to waterlogging stress could help to develop new breeding strategies to sustain high yields against this situation. The present review offers a summary of recent findings on the adaptation of sugarcane to waterlogging stress in terms of growth and development, yield and quality, as well as biochemical and adaptive-molecular processes that may contribute to flooding tolerance.

Identification of male sterility-related genes in Saccharum officinarum and Saccharum spontaneum.

KEY MESSAGE: Candidate male sterility genes were identified in sugarcane, which interacts with kinase-related proteins, transcription factors, and plant hormone signaling pathways to regulate stamen and anther development. Saccharum officinarum is a cultivated sugarcane species that its predominant feature is high sucrose content in stems. Flowering is necessary for breeding new cultivars but will terminate plant growth and reduce sugar yield. The wild sugarcane species Saccharum spontaneum has robust and viable pollen, whereas most S. officinarum accessions are male sterile, which is a desirable trait of a maternal parent in sugarcane breeding. To study male sterility and related regulatory pathways in sugarcane, we carried out RNAseq using flowers in different developmental stages between male-sterile S. officinarum accession 'LA Purple' and fertile S. spontaneum accession 'SES208'. Gene expression profiles were used to detect how genes are differentially expressed between male sterile and fertile flowers and to identify candidate genes for male sterility. Weighted gene correlation networks analysis (WGCNA) was conducted to investigate the regulatory networks. Transcriptomic analyses showed that 988 genes and 2888 alleles were differentially expressed in S. officinarum compared to S. spontaneum. Ten differentially expressed genes and thirty alleles were identified as candidate genes and alleles for male sterility in sugarcane. The gene Sspon.03G0007630 and two alleles of the gene Sspon.08G0002270, Sspon.08G0002270-2B and Sspon.08G0014700-1A, were involved in the early stamen or carpel development stages, while the remaining genes were classified into the post-meiosis stage. Gibberellin, auxin, and jasmonic acid signaling pathways are involved in the stamen development in sugarcane. The results expanded our knowledge of male sterility-related genes in sugarcane and generated genomic resources to facilitate the selection of ideal maternal parents to improve breeding efficiency.

Untargeted metabolomics, optimization of microwave-assisted extraction using Box-Behnken design and evaluation of antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities of sugarcane bagasse.

INTRODUCTION: The fruit wastes, in particular agricultural wastes, are considered potential and inexpensive sources of bioactive compounds. OBJECTIVE: The current study was aimed at the preparation of an optimized extract of sugarcane bagasse using microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) technology and comparative evaluation of chemical composition, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities with extract prepared through maceration technique. METHODOLOGY: Box-Behnken Design (BDD) with response surface methodology was applied to observe interactions of three independent variables (ethanol concentrations [%], microwave power [W], and extraction time [min]) on the dependent variables (total phenolic content [TPC] and antioxidant status via 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl [DPPH] to establish optimal extraction conditions. The ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) analysis was applied for untargeted metabolite profiling, and in vitro assays were used for evaluation of the antidiabetic and antioxidant potential of the extract. Moreover, an in silico study was used to predict the interaction of five dominant compounds from the UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS profile against the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) enzyme. RESULTS: The optimal conditions for the extraction were established at 60% (v/v) ethanol, 500 W microwave power, and 5 min time with TPC 12.83 ± 0.66 mg GAE/g d.w. and DPPH 45.09 ± 0.07%. The UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis revealed the presence of a total of 106 compounds in the extract. Moreover, the extract prepared through MAE technology presented higher TPC and DPPH findings than the extract prepared through maceration. Similarly, the extract was also found with good antidiabetic activity by inhibiting the DPP-IV enzyme which was also rectified theoretically by a molecular docking study. CONCLUSION: The current study presents a sustainable and an optimized approach for the preparation of sugarcane bagasse extract with functional phytoconstituents and higher antidiabetic and antioxidant activities.

Beneficial Effect of Exogenously Applied Calcium Pyruvate in Alleviating Water Deficit in Sugarcane as Assessed by Chlorophyll a Fluorescence Technique.

The growing demand for food production has led to an increase in agricultural areas, including many with low and irregular rainfall, stressing the importance of studies aimed at mitigating the harmful effects of water stress. From this perspective, the objective of this study was to evaluate calcium pyruvate as an attenuator of water deficit on chlorophyll a fluorescence of five sugarcane genotypes. The experiment was conducted in a plant nursery where three management strategies (E1-full irrigation, E2-water deficit with the application of 30 mM calcium pyruvate, and E3-water deficit without the application of calcium pyruvate) and five sugarcane genotypes (RB863129, RB92579, RB962962, RB021754, and RB041443) were tested, distributed in randomized blocks, in a 3 × 5 factorial design with three replications. There is dissimilarity in the fluorescence parameters and photosynthetic pigments of the RB863129 genotype in relation to those of the RB041443, RB96262, RB021754, and RB92579 genotypes. Foliar application of calcium pyruvate alleviates the effects of water deficit on the fluorescence parameters of chlorophyll a and photosynthetic pigments in sugarcane, without interaction with the genotypes. However, subsequent validation tests will be necessary to test and validate the adoption of this technology under field conditions.

Genomic investigation of duplication, functional conservation, and divergence in the LRR-RLK Family of Saccharum.

BACKGROUND: Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) holds exceptional global significance as a vital crop, serving as a primary source of sucrose, bioenergy, and various by-products. The optimization of sugarcane breeding by fine-tuning essential traits has become crucial for enhancing crop productivity and stress resilience. Leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases (LRR-RLK) genes present promising targets for this purpose, as they are involved in various aspects of plant development and defense processes. RESULTS: Here, we present a detailed overview of phylogeny and expression of 288 (495 alleles) and 312 (1365 alleles) LRR-RLK genes from two founding Saccharum species, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis categorized these genes into 15 subfamilies, revealing considerable expansion or reduction in certain LRR-type subfamilies. Compared to other plant species, both Saccharum species had more significant LRR-RLK genes. Examination of cis-acting elements demonstrated that SsLRR-RLK and SoLRR-RLK genes exhibited no significant difference in the types of elements included, primarily involved in four physiological processes. This suggests a broad conservation of LRR-RLK gene function during Saccharum evolution. Synteny analysis indicated that all LRR-RLK genes in both Saccharum species underwent gene duplication, primarily through whole-genome duplication (WGD) or segmental duplication. We identified 28 LRR-RLK genes exhibiting novel expression patterns in response to different tissues, gradient development leaves, and circadian rhythm in the two Saccharum species. Additionally, SoLRR-RLK104, SoLRR-RLK7, SoLRR-RLK113, and SsLRR-RLK134 were identified as candidate genes for sugarcane disease defense response regulators through transcriptome data analysis of two disease stresses. This suggests LRR-RLK genes of sugarcane involvement in regulating various biological processes, including leaf development, plant morphology, photosynthesis, maintenance of circadian rhythm stability, and defense against sugarcane diseases. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation into gene duplication, functional conservation, and divergence of LRR-RLK genes in two founding Saccharum species lays the groundwork for a comprehensive genomic analysis of the entire LRR-RLK gene family in Saccharum. The results reveal LRR-RLK gene played a critical role in Saccharum adaptation to diverse conditions, offering valuable insights for targeted breeding and precise phenotypic adjustments.

Integrating artificial neural networks and response surface methodology for predictive modeling and mechanistic insights into the detoxification of hazardous MB and CV dyes using Saccharum officinarum L. biomass.

The presence of dye pollutants in industrial wastewater poses significant environmental and health risks, necessitating effective treatment methods. The optimal adsorption treatment of methylene blue (MB) and crystal violet (CV) dye-simulated wastewater utilising Saccharum officinarum L presents a key challenge in the selection of appropriate modelling approaches. While RSM and ANN models are frequently used, there is a noticeable knowledge gap when it comes to evaluating their relative strengths and weaknesses in this context. The study compared the predictive abilities of response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN) for the adsorption treatment of MB and CV dye-simulated wastewater using Saccharum officinarum L. The process experimental variables were modelled and predicted using a three-layer artificial neural network trained using the Levenberg-Marquard backpropagation algorithm and 30 central composite designs (CCD). The adsorption study used a specific mechanism, which led to noteworthy maximum removals of 98.3% and 98.2% for dyes (MB and CV), respectively. The RSM model achieved an impressive R2 of 0.9417, while the ANN model achieved 0.9236 in MB. Adsorption is commonly used to remove colour from many different materials. Saccharum officinarum L., a byproduct of sugarcane processing, has shown potential as an efficient and ecological adsorbent in this environment. The purpose of this study is to evaluate sugarcane bagasse's potential as an adsorbent for the removal of dyes MB and CV from industrial wastewater, providing a long-term strategy for reducing dye pollution. Due to its beneficial economic and environmental characteristics, the Saccharum officinarum L. adsorbent has prompted research into sustainable resources with low pollutant indices.

Designing and validation of specific primers for the quantitative detection of bacteria in sugarcane inoculant.

Endophytic diazotrophic plant growth-promoting bacteria Herbaspirillum rubrisubalbicans (HCC103), Herbaspirillum seropedicae (HRC54), Paraburkholderia tropica (Ppe8T), Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus (Pal5T), and Nitrospirillum amazonense (CBAmC) have been used as inoculants for sugarcane. The genome sequences of these strains were used to design a set of specific primers for the real-time PCR (qPCR) assay. Primer specificity was confirmed by conventional PCR using the genomic DNAs of 25 related bacterial species and the five target strains. The qPCR assays were conducted using root and shoot samples from two sugarcane varieties (RB867515 and RB92579). These samples were collected both with and without inoculation, using the target strains specified in this study. The sugarcane plants were grown in a greenhouse, utilizing a substrate composed of sterile sand and vermiculite in a 2:1 ratio, for a duration of 55 days. The primers designed for this study successfully amplified target DNA fragments from each of the bacterial species, enabling their differentiation at the species level. The total bacterial population present in the sugarcane quantified using qPCR was on average 105.2 cells g-1 of fresh tissue. Across both evaluated varieties, it was observed that the population of inoculated bacteria tended to decrease over time and became more concentrated in the sugarcane roots compared to the aerial parts. The qPCR results suggest that both the host and the microbes influence the endophytic population and the bacterial number decreases with plant age.

Why different sugarcane cultivars show different resistant abilities to smut? : Comparisons of endophytic microbial compositions and metabolic functions in stems of sugarcane cultivars with different abilities to resist smut.

To elucidate the mechanisms underlying the resistance to smut of different sugarcane cultivars, endophytic bacterial and fungal compositions, functions and metabolites in the stems of the sugarcane cultivars were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing techniques and nontargeted metabolomics. The results showed that the levels of ethylene, salicylic acid and jasmonic acid in sugarcane varieties that were not sensitive to smut were all higher than those in sensitive sugarcane varieties. Moreover, endophytic fungi, such as Ramichloridium, Alternaria, Sarocladium, Epicoccum, and Exophiala species, could be considered antagonistic to sugarcane smut. Additionally, the highly active arginine and proline metabolism, pentose phosphate pathway, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and tyrosine metabolism in sugarcane varieties that were not sensitive to smut indicated that these pathways contribute to resistance to smut. All of the above results suggested that the relatively highly abundant antagonistic microbes and highly active metabolic functions of endophytes in non-smut-sensitive sugarcane cultivars were important for their relatively high resistance to smut.

Long read transcriptome sequencing of a sugarcane hybrid and its progenitors, Saccharum officinarum and S. spontaneum.

Commercial sugarcane hybrids are derivatives from Saccharum officinarum and Saccharum spontaneum hybrids containing the full complement of S. officinarum and a few S. spontaneum chromosomes and recombinants with favorable agronomic characters from both the species. The combination of the two sub-genomes in varying proportions in addition to the recombinants presents a challenge in the study of gene expression and regulation in the hybrid. We now report the transcriptome analysis of the two progenitor species and a modern commercial sugarcane hybrid through long read sequencing technology. Transcripts were profiled in the two progenitor species S. officinarum (Black Cheribon), and S. spontaneum (Coimbatore accession) and a recent high yielding, high sugar variety Co 11015. The composition and contribution of the progenitors to a hybrid with respect to sugar, biomass, and disease resistance were established. Sugar related transcripts originated from S. officinarum while several stress and senescence related transcripts were from S. spontaneum in the hybrid. The hybrid had a higher number of transcripts related to sugar transporters, invertases, transcription factors, trehalose, UDP sugars, and cellulose than the two progenitor species. Both S. officinarum and the hybrid had an abundance of novel genes like sugar phosphate translocator, while S. spontaneum had just one. In general, the hybrid shared a larger number of transcripts with S. officinarum than with S. spontaneum, reflecting the genomic contribution, while the progenitors shared very few transcripts between them. The common isoforms among the three genotypes and unique isoforms specific to each genotype indicate that there is a high scope for improvement of the modern hybrids by utilizing novel gene isoforms from the progenitor species.

Unusual, hierarchically structured composite of sugarcane pulp bagasse biochar loaded with Cu/Ni bimetallic nanoparticles for dye removal.

Biochar-supported nanocatalysts emerged as unique materials for environmental remediation. Herein, sugarcane pulp bagasse (SCPB) was wet-impregnated with Cu(NO3)23H2O and Ni(NO3)26H2O, then pyrolyzed at 500 °C, under N2, for 1 h. We specifically focused on sugarcane pulp instead of SCB and biochar materials. The metal nitrate to biomass ratio was set at 0.5, 1, and 2 mmol/g, with Cu/Ni initial ratio = 1. The process provided hierarchically structured porous biochar, topped with evenly dispersed 40 nm-sized CuNi alloy nanoparticles (SCPBB@CuNi). The biochar exhibited an unusual fishing net-like structure induced by nickel, with slits having a length in the 3-12 µm range. Such a fishing net-like porous structure was obtained without any harsh acidic or basic treatment of the biomass. It was induced, during pyrolysis, by the nanocatalysts or their precursors. The CuNi nanoparticles form true alloy as proved by XRD, and are prone to agglomeration at high initial metal nitrate concentration (2 mmol/g). Stepwise metal loading was probed by XPS versus the initial metal nitrate concentration. This is also reflected in the thermal gravimetric analyses. The SCPBB@CuNi/H2O2 (catalyst dose: 0.25 g/L) system served for the catalyzed removal of Malachite Green (MG), Methylene Blue (MB), and Methyl Orange (MO) dyes (concentration = 0.01 mmol/L). Both single and mixed dye solutions were treated in this advanced oxidation process (AOP). The dyes were removed in less than 30 min for MG and 3 h for MB, respectively, but 8 h for MO, therefore showing selectivity for the degradation of MG, under optimized degradation conditions. The catalysts could be collected with a magnet and reused three times, without any significant loss of activity (∼85%). AOP conditions did not induce any nanocatalyst leaching. To sum up, we provide a simple wet impregnation route that permitted to design highly active Fenton-like biochar@CuNi composite catalyst for the degradation of organic pollutants, under daylight conditions.

Experimental dataset of sugarcane-cover crop intercropping trials to control weeds in Reunion Island.

Agroecological studies on sugarcane intercropping commonly generate complex datasets. A generic database (AEGIS - Agro-Ecological Global Information System) has been developed to facilitate the use of these datasets. The data described in this paper includes data from 8 experiments carried out on Reunion Island from 2012 to 2021 under three soil and climatic conditions to assess the capacity of cover crops in the sugarcane inter-row to control weed growth. Each experiment consisted of the comparison of three treatments in the inter-row: i) sugarcane with chemical weeding, ii) sugarcane with a cover crop sowed in the inter-row, and iii) sugarcane with spontaneous weed flora in the inter-row. The datasets contain data for sugarcane and cover crop observations (e.g., yield), weed flora, including 104 weed species (e.g., ground cover), crop management (including manual and chemical weedings), soil analyses, and daily weather. This dataset provides an adequate experimental dataset to calibrate or validate crop model simulations under intercropping.

Espectroscopía visible y del infrarrojo cercano para el análisis de nutrientes en tejido vegetal de caña de azúcar para producción de panela

La espectroscopía de reflectancia en el infrarrojo cercano (NIRS) es una tecnología rápida, multiparamétrica, amigable con el ambiente, de bajo costo y gran exactitud, para el análisis de diversos componentes en alimentos, en suelo y en agricultura. El objetivo del presente estudio fue construir modelos de calibración NIRS, para la predicción de nutrientes en tejido vegetal de caña de azúcar, para producción de panela, cultivada en la región de la Hoya del río Suárez. Un total de 416 muestras de tejido fueron escaneadas en el segmento espectral Vis-NIR. El análisis quimiométrico, se realizó con el software WinISI V4.10, aplicando la regresión de mínimos cuadrados parciales modificados, junto a una validación cruzada. Se evaluaron cuatro modelos con diferentes tratamientos matemáticos y el rendimiento de las calibraciones, se hizo por medio de la validación externa, analizando las medidas de bondad de ajuste, como el coeficiente de determinación de la predicción, el error estándar de la predicción ajustado por el sesgo y la desviación predictiva residual. Los resultados muestran que el modelo de calibración para N presentó el mayor poder predictivo. Para macronutrientes, las calibraciones, con mayor poder predictivo, fueron P y K y para micronutrientes, el modelo para B, mientras que para Cu presentó el más bajo poder predictivo. Se encontraron modelos adecuados para la predicción de los contenidos de N, Ca y P; para los demás nutrientes, se recomienda ampliar el conjunto de calibración.

Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) is a fast, multiparametric, environmentally friendly, low-cost, and highly accurate technology for the analysis of components in food, soil, and agriculture. The purpose of this study was to generate NIRS calibration models for the prediction of nutrients in plant tissue of sugarcane to panela production cultivated in the Hoya del Río Suárez region. A total of 416 tissue samples were scanned in Vis-NIR spectral segment. Chemometric analysis was performed with the WinISI V4.10 software applying modified partial least squares regression with cross-validation. Four models with different mathematical treatments were evaluated, and the performance of calibrations was made through external validation analyzing the goodness-of-fit measures as prediction determination coefficient, standard error of the bias-adjusted prediction, and residual predictive deviation. The results showed that the calibration model for N had the highest predictive power. For macronutrients, the calibrations with the best predictive power were for P and K, and micronutrients for B, while Cu presented the lowest predictive power. Adequate models were found for the prediction of N, Ca, and P. In the case of the other nutrients, it is recommended to expand the calibration set.

In vitro and in vivo screening for the identification of salt-tolerant sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) clones: molecular, biochemical, and physiological responses to salt stress.

Sugarcane is a glycophyte whose growth and yield can be negatively affected by salt stress. As the arable lands with potential saline soils expand annually, the increase of salt-tolerance in sugarcane cultivars is highly desired. We, herein, employed in vitro and in vivo conditions in order to screen sugarcane plants for salt tolerance at the cellular and at the whole plant levels. Calli of sugarcane cv. Khon Kaen 3 (KK3) were selected after culturing in selective media containing various NaCl concentrations, and regenerated plants were then reselected after culturing in selective media containing higher NaCl concentrations. The surviving plants were finally selected after an exposure to 254 mM NaCl under greenhouse conditions. A total of 11 sugarcane plants survived the selection process. Four plants that exhibited tolerance to the four different salt concentrations applied during the aforementioned screening process were then selected for the undertaking of further molecular, biochemical, and physiological studies. The construction of a dendrogram has revealed that the most salt-tolerant plant was characterized by the lowest genetic similarity to the original cultivar. The relative expression levels of six genes (i.e., SoDREB, SoNHX1, SoSOS1, SoHKT, SoBADH, and SoMIPS) were found to be significantly higher in the salt-tolerance clones than those measured in the original plant. The measured proline levels, the glycine betaine content, the relative water content, the SPAD unit, the contents of chlorophyll a and b, as well as the K+/Na+ ratios of the salt-tolerant clones were also found to be significantly higher than those of the original plant.When the salt-tolerant clones were grown in a low saline soil, they exhibited a higher Brix percentage than that of the original cultivar.

Sett priming with salicylic acid improves salinity tolerance of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) during early stages of crop development.

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.), a globally cultivated carbohydrate producing crop of industrial importance is being challenged by soil salinity due to its glycophytic nature. Water stress coupled with cellular and metabolic alterations resulting from excess sodium (Na+) ion accumulation is irreversibly damaging during early crop developmental stages that often results in complete crop failure. This study therefore aimed to explore the potential of salicylic acid as a sett priming material to mitigate the negative effects of salt stress on sugarcane during germination and early growth stages. Five doses of salicylic acid (0 [hydropriming] [control], 0.5 mM, 1 mM, 1.5 mM and 2 mM) were tested against three levels of salinity (0.5 dS m-1 [control], 4 dS m-1, and 8 dS m-1) within a polyhouse environment. Results revealed 11.2%, 18.5%, 25.4%, and 38.6%, average increase in final germination, germination energy, seedling length and seedling vigor index respectively with a subsequent reduction of 21% mean germination time. Investigations during early seedling growth revealed 21.6%, 17.5%, 27.0%, 39.9%, 10.7%, 11.5%, 17.5%, 47.9%, 35.3% and 20.5% overall increase in plant height, total leaf area, shoot dry matter, root dry matter, leaf greenness, relative water content, membrane stability index, proline content, total antioxidant activity and potassium (K+) ion accumulation respectively with a subsequent reduction of 24.9% Na+ ion accumulation and 35.8% Na+/K+ ratio due to salicylic acid priming. Germination, seedling growth and recovery of physiochemical traits were highly satisfactory in primed setts than non-primed ones even under 8 dS m-1 salinity level. This study should provide useful information for strategizing salinity management approaches for better productivity of sugarcane.

Characterization of aroma profiles of kokuto-shochu prepared from three different cultivars of sugarcane.

Kokuto-shochu is a traditional Japanese spirit prepared from kokuto, obtained by evaporating water from sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) juice. To clarify the effects of sugarcane cultivars on the sensory quality of kokuto-shochu, we investigated the flavor characteristics and composition of volatiles in kokuto-shochu prepared from kokuto using three different sugarcane cultivars, NiF8, Ni15, and RK97-14. Furthermore, experiments were conducted by using the cultivars collected between 2018 and 2020 to observe annual variations in their properties. The amino acid content of the three kokuto varieties did not differ significantly, but the amino acid content of NiF8 was two to five times higher than that of RK97-14, which was the same for all samples collected in the selected years. The browning degrees of kokuto were also higher in NiF8, and they were positively correlated to the amino acid contents of kokuto. The kokuto-like aroma of shochu made from Ni15 was stronger than that of shochu made from RK97-14. The concentration of ethyl lactate in shochu made from Ni15 was higher, however, the concentration of guaiacol was the lowest in the three cultivars' products. Shochu made from NiF8 had the highest levels of Maillard reaction products (MRPs; pyrazines and furans), ß-damascenone, and guaiacol amounts. In contrast, shochu made from RK97-14 tended to have a fruity flavor, and lower MRP levels than those made from NiF8. Thus, it was shown that sugarcane cultivars affect the sensory characteristics and volatiles in kokuto-shochu.

In vivo and in silico comparison analyses of Cry toxin activities toward the sugarcane giant borer.

The sugarcane giant borer, Telchin licus licus, is an insect pest that causes significant losses in sugarcane crops and in the sugar-alcohol sector. Chemical and manual control methods are not effective. As an alternative, in the current study, we have screened Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry toxins with high toxicity against this insect. Bioassays were conducted to determine the activity of four Cry toxins (Cry1A (a, b, and c) and Cry2Aa) against neonate T. licus licus larvae. Notably, the Cry1A family toxins had the lowest LC50 values, in which Cry1Ac presented 2.1-fold higher activity than Cry1Aa, 1.7-fold larger than Cry1Ab, and 9.7-fold larger than Cry2Aa toxins. In silico analyses were performed as a perspective to understand putative interactions between T. licus licus receptors and Cry1A toxins. The molecular dynamics and docking analyses for three putative aminopeptidase N (APN) receptors (TlAPN1, TlAPN3, and TlAPN4) revealed evidence for the amino acids that may be involved in the toxin-receptor interactions. Notably, the properties of Cry1Ac point to an interaction site that increases the toxin's affinity for the receptor and likely potentiate toxicity. The interacting amino acid residues predicted for Cry1Ac in this work are probably those shared by the other Cry1A toxins for the same region of APNs. Thus, the presented data extend the existing knowledge of the effects of Cry toxins on T. licus licus and should be considered in further development of transgenic sugarcane plants resistant to this major occurring insect pest in sugarcane fields.