The Complete Handbook of Sugar Cane

Chapter 1: Understanding Sugar Cane

Sugar cane is a giant perennial grass of the genus Saccharum, and it is one of the most efficient plants on Earth at converting sunlight into stored chemical energy. That energy, in the form of sucrose, is what makes cane the backbone of the world's sugar supply and an increasingly important feedstock for renewable fuel. Understanding how the plant grows, where it thrives, and why its sugar content fluctuates is the foundation for every other decision in this book, from choosing a variety to setting a harvest date.

Unlike a root crop such as sugar beet, which stores sugar in a taproot, sugar cane stores sucrose in the pith of its stalks. The stalk is a segmented stem, divided by joints called nodes, with solid internodes between them. It is this stalk that is harvested, transported, and crushed to release the sugary juice. A mature stalk is a marvel of biological engineering: a bundle of vascular tissue surrounded by a dense rind, with internal cells holding a solution that can be up to 20 percent sucrose by weight. The rind is tough and woody, protecting the precious contents from physical damage, insects, and decay. The nodes are where leaves attach and where buds, called eyes, are located. These buds are the basis of cane propagation, because commercial cane does not grow true to seed; farmers plant stalk cuttings, called setts or billets, each containing several viable buds.

The growth cycle of sugar cane is