BACKGROUND The conditions for steam pretreatment of sugar cane bagasse and leaves were studied using CO2 as an impregnating agent. The following conditions were investigated: time (5 to 15 min) and temperature (190 to 220 degrees C). The pretreatment was assessed in terms of glucose and xylose yields after enzymatic hydrolysis and inhibitor formation (furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural) in the ...

The genome of Xanthomonas albilineans, the causal agent of sugar cane leaf scald, carries a gene cluster encoding a predicted quorum sensing system that is highly related to the diffusible signalling factor (DSF) systems of the plant pathogens Xylella fastidiosa and Xanthomonas campestris. In these latter pathogens, a cluster of regulation of pathogenicity factors (rpf) genes encodes the DSF sy...

Broiler chicken production is widely dispersed across the globe, and one important issue for growers is the selection of adequate bedding material, as the availability and price of substrates varies among countries and regions within a same country. This study aimed at applying a multiple criteria analysis approach for the selection of the most appropriate bedding material for broiler productio...

This paper analyses the technological advances which have taken place on both the field and factory sides of sugar production in the past 30 years. It focuses on three leading sugar producers; Australia, France and South Africa. It finds that the greatest technological gains have been made in the beet sector (France). All three countries have improved the efficiency of their factory operations ...

Information was sought on the cause, effects, and control of dextran in sugar manufacture in Jamaica. Storage experiments on manually harvested, burnt, whole-stalk cane revealed that Leuconostoc mesenteroides was the predominant spoilage organism. Its growth was accompanied by significant increases in dextran content and juice viscosity. However, these parameters. did not increase linearly with...

Varieties NCo376 and N14 are the most widely grown varieties in Zimbabwe and are used as control varieties in the selection programme. The success of NCo376 was due to its high yield potential throughout the year and its ability to maintain good yields, even in advanced ratoons. A study was done to compare the performances of N14 and NCo376 in the South-East Lowveld of Zimbabwe, using data from...

The NIRSystems 6500 spectrophotometer has been used to study analytes in bagasse, shredded cane, direct analysis of cane extracts (DAC), mixed juice, molasses and raw sugar. Analytes included pol, brix, dry solids, moisture, sucrose, glucose, fructose, invert, ethanol, colour, ash and starch. Although Near Infra Red (NIR) is a secondary technique, relying on conventional laboratory procedures f...

It is well recognized that assemblage structure of stream macroinvertebrates changes with alterations in catchment or local land use. Our objective was to understand how the trophic ecology of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages responds to land use changes in tropical streams. We used the isotope methodology to assess how energy flow and trophic relations among macroinvertebrates were affect...

We analyzed the influence of emissions from burning sugar cane on the respiratory system during almost 1 year in the city of Piracicaba in southeast Brazil. From April 1997 through March 1998, samples of inhalable particles were collected, separated into fine and coarse particulate mode, and analyzed for black carbon and tracer elements. At the same time, we examined daily records of children (...

In Brazil, due to its availability, sugar cane bagasse has a high potential for power generation. The knowledge of ignition behavior, as well as the knowledge of the chemical kinetics, in of fuels combustion process is important features in boilers projects and in the stability of the combustion process control. The aim of this study is to investigate the thermal behavior of sugar cane bagasse,...