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Saccharum hybrids - Various

Common Name Energy Cane
Family Poaceae
USDA hardiness 8-12
Known Hazards Sugarcane production has probably caused more biodiversity loss than any other crop [1-1].
Habitats Originated in cultivation.
Range Not known as a wild plant. Hybrid of Asian species.
Edibility Rating    (4 of 5)
Other Uses    (4 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Tender Moist Soil Wet Soil Full sun
Saccharum hybrids Energy Cane


Saccharum hybrids Energy Cane

 

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Summary

Sugarcane production has probably caused more biodiversity loss than any other crop. "Noble" cane types are optimized for sugar production while Energy cane types have three times the fiber for use as biofuel. Many energy canes are the result of crosses with biomass grasses like Miscanthus, raising the interesting possibility of cold-tolerant sugarcane [1-1].


Physical Characteristics

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Saccharum hybrids is a PERENNIAL growing to 6 m (19ft) by 1.5 m (5ft) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10.
It can fix Nitrogen.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid and saline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist or wet soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

No synonyms are recorded for this name.

Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Sap  Stem
Edible Uses:

Carbon Farming Solutions - Staple Crop: sugar (The term staple crop typically refers to a food that is eaten routinely and accounts for a dominant part of people's diets in a particular region of the world) [1-1].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


Possible. See individual species.

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Fodder

Carbon Farming Solutions - Industrial Crop: biomass (Crops grown for non-food uses. Industrial crops provide resources in three main categories: materials, chemicals, and energy. Traditional materials include lumber and thatch, paper and cardboard, and textiles) [1-1]. "Noble" cane types are optimized for sugar production while Energy cane types have three times the fiber for use as biofuel. Many energy canes are the result of crosses with biomass grasses like Miscanthus, raising the interesting possibility of cold-tolerant sugarcane [1-1]. Fodder: bank.

Special Uses

Carbon Farming

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Fodder: Bank  Industrial Crop: Biomass  Management: Hay  New Crop  Staple Crop: Sugar

Climate: subtropical to tropical. Humidity: humid. Carbon Farming Solutions - Cultivation: new crop. Management: hay (Describes the non-destructive management systems that are used in cultivation) [1-1]. Need not be grown in large monocultures as is common in homegardens around the world [1-1]. Global sugarcane biomass yields averaged 70.2t/ha in 2012 [1-1]. Sugarcane and energy cane breeding is active and ongoing including GMO types.

Carbon Farming

  • Fodder: Bank  Fodder banks are plantings of high-quality fodder species. Their goal is to maintain healthy productive animals. They can be utilized all year, but are designed to bridge the forage scarcity of annual dry seasons. Fodder bank plants are usually trees or shrubs, and often legumes. The relatively deep roots of these woody perennials allow them to reach soil nutrients and moisture not available to grasses and herbaceous plants.
  • Industrial Crop: Biomass  Three broad categories: bamboos, resprouting woody plants, and giant grasses. uses include: protein, materials (paper, building materials, fibers, biochar etc.), chemicals (biobased chemicals), energy - biofuels
  • Management: Hay  Cut to the ground and harvested annually. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
  • New Crop  Most new crops were important wild plants until recently, although some are the result of hybridization. They have been developed in the last few, decades. What they have in common is that they are currently cultivated by farmers. Examples include baobab, argan, and buffalo gourd.
  • Staple Crop: Sugar  Perennial sugar crops include sugarcane and compare favorably to annuals.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Propagation

Seed - Cuttings, consisting of 2 - 3 joints of the upper part of a stem that has been selected from a vigorous, healthy plant. They are placed in the ground with only 2 - 5cm of the cutting projecting above the surface. In about two weeks from planting the 'eyes' at each node will send forth shoots, and roots will grow from the nodes themselves. As the shoots develop, the parent stem decays and the young plants produce roots of their own[459 ].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Sugarcane hybrids, Energy Cane, Energy Cane hybrids

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Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Subtropical to tropical areas.

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

None Known

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Acer saccharumSugar Maple, Florida Maple, Hard Maple, Rock MapleTree30.0 4-8 SLMHSNM424
Acer saccharum grandidentatumBig-Tooth Maple, Canyon Maple, Rocky Mountain Sugar MapleTree12.0 5-8  LMHSNM403
Acer saccharum nigrumBlack MapleTree25.0 4-6 SLMHSNM412
Saccharum officinarumSugarcane, Purple Sugar CanePerennial6.0 8-12 FLMHNMWe423

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Subject : Saccharum hybrids  
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