Fertilizer and water management for high productivity and biomass quality of energy cane for bioethanol and bioenergy production

• Grant number: 22/08391-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: October 01, 2022
• Status: Discontinued
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Cassio Hamilton Abreu Junior
• Grantee: Juan Ricardo Rocha
• Host Institution: Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/17232-6 - Enhancing climate-smart agriculture and global circular economy through sustainable nutrient management and fertilization, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

The consumption of biofuels should be increased, and the Brazilian energy matrix should be expanded. So, energy cane is probably the best biomass option to meet the growing demand for renewable energy sources. However, there is no information on the recommendation of fertilization for this crop in rainfed and irrigated cultivation. The hypothesis is that knowledge of the amount of nutrients required for maximum energy cane productivity, under rainfed and irrigated conditions and sugar cane irrigated, is essential for the sugar-energy sector in São Paulo and Brazil to meet the growing demand for biofuels and renewable energy in the world. The objective is to evaluate the effects of NPK fertilization, under rainfed and full irrigation conditions, on physiological aspects, accumulation and use efficiency of chemical elements, technological and lignocellulosic characteristics, calorific value, C and N stocks in the soil and biomass partition of sugarcane and energy cane Type I. The treatments will be with 3 levels of N, P2O5 and K2O (60, 180 and 300 kg ha-1), in a 3x3x3 factorial scheme, with four blocks. The treatments will be studied under 4 growing conditions, that is, 2 levels of soil moisture (with and without irrigation) and 2 cane varieties (CTC 4 and Vertix 3). It is expected to fill the gap regarding the nutritional need of energy cane and to contribute to the sugar-energy sector through the increase of raw material for obtaining biofuels and bioenergy, reducing dependence on fossil fuels in addition to the carbon market, reduction of greenhouse gases and maintenance of C in the soil-root system. (AU)