U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA Agricultural Research Service ARS Sugarcane Research Unit scientists developed and released a new high-fiber variety of sugarcane, or energy cane, Ho 06-9002, in Houma, LA, and continue their research on December 13, 2021. Sugarcane is one of the most efficient producers of biomass of all plant species and can be used as a renewable fuel. The new variety has a high fiber content, excellent regrowth ability over 4 to 5 years, is cold-tolerant, has a high stalk population, and produces excellent biomass yields. Ho 06-9002 showed no symptoms of brown rust or smut when exposed to high levels of natural inoculum. Mosaic disease, caused by either sugarcane mosaic virus or sorghum mosaic virus, was not observed in the variety under natural field conditions. Its most significant attribute is cold tolerance and the ability to yield high biomass in non-traditional sugarcane growing regions.

Here, the Sugarcane Research Unit research geneticists, scientists, and technicians work with contract harvesters to tag and bundle samples from test crops in these rows of sugarcane. They stand at markers that identify the variety along the row and signal the combine harvester operator when the blades reach the marker. Then each small harvest is transferred to a hopper wagon to be weighed. Ten canes of each variety are collected, tagged, and bundled for delivery to the USDA ARS Sugarcane Research Unit at Ardoyne Farm for weighing and testing. Onboard the harvester and hopper units, GPS and scale systems record the harvest weight and location of each variety.

These test plots are at the Spanish Trails Farm near Houma, La. The land is leased from a local landowner in association with the American Sugarcane League. Test crops do not become part of consumer products.

The ongoing studies are conducted in cooperation with the Department of Energy; university extensions, and industry organizations.

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