In Brazil, yellow leaf disease, a major sugarcane pest in Brazil, is caused by a virus resistant to thermal treatment. An infected plantation can be saved only by growing plantlets in tissue culture in the laboratory and planting them out, a time-consuming process that requires specialized infrastructure and personnel. According to a group of scientists […]
In India, the Daily Pioneer newspaper reports that two sugar companies in Uttar Pradesh—Balampur and Pipraich Sugar—will produce ethanol directly from sugarcane juice during the new season starting October 1. The UP government greenlighted the use of sugar juice as ethanol feedstock in October 2020. The state produced nearly 1 billion liters at 72 distilleries […]
Big name shoe and apparel companies like Nike, Pangaia and Old Navy are on a sustainability roll. News from Nike on their work with Newlight Technologies for wearables that actually sequester carbon, Pangaia’s addition of two new biobased fabrics to its collection made from pineapple and banana leaf waste and nettles, eucalyptus and seaweed, and […]
In San Francisco, the ubiquitous, no-frills Old Navy summer flip-flop is getting a renewable makeover thanks to EVA foam made from sugarcane. On sale now for $4.99-$8.99, the flops are available in four styles—classic, T-strap, Jelly Criss-Cross and Jelly Slide. All feature an EVA outsole that is 51% sugarcane-based. “These flip-flops are partially made from […]
In New York state, Kindly, a new line of sustainable intimates, launches featuring the first-ever plant-based bra cup sourced from Brazilian sugarcane. Available exclusively at Walmart, kindly is on a mission to make sustainability accessible to everyone. Its product line features a wide range of sustainable bras and underwear made from recycled materials, and a promise […]
In Brazil, Platts reports UNICA data showed sugarcane production has fallen by more than 7% this season through July to 304 million metric tons, the lowest since 2017/18, which pushed sugar futures higher as well as the spot price for hydrous ethanol. Ethanol production reached 14.1 billion liters through July, down nearly 3.5% on the […]
In Bolivia, Yacimientos Petrolifos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB) will gradually maximize the volumes of ethanol purchases from mills that receive raw material from the sugarcane sector, YPFB President Wilson Zelaya reported at a press conference after a meeting with representatives of the sugarcane producers. Owners of the sugar mills, Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energies (MHE) and […]
In Brazil, the fungus Fusarium verticillioides is one of the causes of red rot, the most serious sugarcane disease. Losses average around $1 billion per harvest in Brazil alone. The traditional approach to the etiology of this disease is that it is triggered by Diatraea saccharalis, a moth usually referred to as the sugarcane borer. […]
In Hawaii, a groundbreaking study investigating the growth of selected varieties of sugarcane to convert into high-performance jet fuel is underway at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management (CAFNRM). Utilizing advanced technologies in agronomics and bioeconomy, the researchers are ultimately looking to improve the island’s environmental sustainability, […]
As spring nears in some parts of the world and COVID vaccine availability improves, we think of hope, seeds and new growth. One designer took it literally and created biodegradable PPE face masks from rice paper filled with flower seeds to bring forth new growth when discarded. French luxury goods maker Hermès launched a mushroom-leather […]
