Section 2 - Sugar Research and Development Corporation

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Section 3
SCHOLARSHIP PROJECTS
The SRDC’s investment in higher education through its Scholarship Program
ensures the future of the sugar industry by fostering scientifi c skills and
knowledge. Two scholarship projects fi nished in 2010–2011:
Anna Satje
Improving the cation retention capacity
of tropical soils using high activity clays.
Research was conducted at James Cook University
to investigate whether bentonite treatments could
be used to improve the fertility of low cation
exchange capacities (CEC) sugar producing soils
and enhance commercial cane yield.
Two fi eld trials conducted in the Innisfail region
in the Wet Tropics of Far North Queensland
and a series of glasshouse pot trials conclusively
showed that at rates of 10 – 30 t/ha banded
additions of natural sodium bentonite improved
soil properties to signifi cantly raise sugarcane
yields at fi nal harvest.
A subsequent economic analysis suggested that
bentonite treatment could be an economically
feasible option to increase sugarcane production
and profi tability in the long term in permanent
bed systems under PA.
However, due to the high product cost of
bentonite, the technique was found to be
economically unfeasible in the short term and in
conventional farming systems where the ground
is reworked after three to four seasons.
While the research concluded that bentonite
treatments are not an economically feasible option
for enhancing productivity for the average farmer
in today’s industry, it is expected that as more
growers move to permanent bed farming systems
the use of bentonite to enhance soil fertility,
reduce nutrient run-off and raise cane yields
on low CEC soils will become common practice
(STU059).
Ian O’Hara
Cellulosic ethanol from sugarcane bagasse in
Australia: exploring industry feasibility through
systems analysis, techno-economic assessment
and pilot plant development.
Overcoming many of the constraints to early stage
investment in biofuels production from sugarcane
SRDC Annual Report 2010–2011
bagasse in Australia requires an understanding
of the complex technical, economic and systemic
challenges associated with the transition of
established sugar industry structures from single
product agribusinesses to new diversifi ed multiproduct
biorefi neries.
While investment decisions in new infrastructure
require technically feasible solutions and the
attainment of project economic investment
thresholds, many other systemic factors infl uence
the investment decision. These factors include
the interrelationships between feedstock
availability and energy use, competing product
alternatives, technology acceptance and
perceptions of project uncertainty and risk.
This thesis explored the issues surrounding
the development of a cellulosic ethanol industry
in Australia from sugarcane bagasse. The project
developed a critical understanding of key drivers,
risks and uncertainties that impact industry
development. In doing so, the research identifi ed
key factors that will lead to a profi table and
sustainable cellulosic biofuels industry in Australia
(STU063).
New postgraduate scholarships awarded
Three postgraduate students were offered
a SRDC scholarship to complete PhD research.
Scholarships were awarded to:
Anthony Brinin – who will investigate ways to
decrease water content of sugarcane at harvest,
which could lead to increased sugar content
for mill processing.
William Gilfi llan – who will research
biodegradable polymer nanocomposites derived
from natural fi bre and starch.
Danielle Skocaj – who will analyse the latest
climate forecasting data to recommend the
best farm management techniques to improve
sugarcane nitrogen management in the Wet
Tropics.