Post-harvest deterioration of green billeted and green whole stalk sugarcane in Northeast Thailand

Abstract

This study considered post-harvest deterioration of green billeted and green whole stalk on sugarcane. A yield deterioration assessment was conducted in the Northeast of Thailand. To have an appropriate assessment, several sugarcane quality parameters such as sugarcane weight (kg), Brix %, juice purity %, commercial cane sugar (CCS) % of cane, reducing sugar % Brix, mannitol, lactic acid, and dextran in mg/kg Brix unit were used to investigate post harvest sugarcane deterioration due to bacterial activity. The deterioration trial was undertaken over 13 days to investigate the green billets (GB) and green whole-stalks (GWS). All sugarcane quality parameters, CCS %, reducing sugar % Brix and juice purity % showed a faster deterioration rate of GB than GWS under identical time and climatic conditions. Mannitol, lactic acid and dextran were useful as an indicator of deterioration and estimating the juice purity drop during post-harvest sugarcane deterioration.