ABSTRACT
Sugarcane is classi ed in the genus Saccharum, tribe Andropogoneae, and family Poaceae. Brazil is the largest producer of sugarcane (514 million tons in 2007). A large portion of Brazil’s sugarcane crop is used to produce ethanol for gasoline-ethanol (gasohol) fuel blends. The current yield of sugarcane in Brazil is 74 tons ha−1. The second largest producer of sugarcane is India (356 million tons in 2007) where it is primarily used to produce jaggery, re ned sugar, and alcoholic beverages. China is the third leading producer of sugarcane with a yield of 106 million tons in 2007. Other major sugarcaneproducing countries are Thailand, Pakistan, Mexico, Colombia, Australia, the United States, and the Philippines. The annual production of sugarcane in the United States is around 28 million tons, most of which is grown in Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, and Texas (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations: FAO, 2008).
