Competitive Management of Sugarcane Waste and Reduction of CO2 Emissions from Harvest Burning in Supply Regions

Sugarcane is an important crop in more than 100 countries around the world. Their burning is a cultural activity before and after the harvest; however, pollutants and greenhouse gases emitted to the atmosphere can affect the human health and weather, respectively. The aim of this research is to report the CO2 emissions of the main countries dedicated to the cane production and explain their relevant relation with the dry matter available to the burn and how it can affect their alternative uses. The methodology used in this study identifies the relation between biomass burned (dry matter) and CO2 emissions, estimated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations with the techniques of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The study was carried out for the period of 1990–2014. The results show an important positive trend in the increase in the annual production levels and the biomass burned during the harvest period. The high correlation between harvested area and yield per hectare in countries such as Brazil and the United States allows to have more biomass available for alternative uses. Countries such as Mexico and Colombia have a low correlation between both the parameters due to the increase in the harvested hectares and reduction of their performance per hectare

Influence of sugarcane burning on soil carbon and nitrogen release under drought and evapotranspiration conditions in a Mexican sugarcane supply zone

"Sugarcane cultivation is an agricultural activity of worldwide importance. This crop has been cultivated in Mexico for centuries, impacting important productive areas like the study region called Huasteca Potosina which is located at the Central-East part of Mexico. The relationship between soil conditions, weather and production per hectare allows identifying the edaphological and climatic conditions (aptitude levels) for cultivating sugarcane in the study area. The objective of this research work is to analyze the relation between the cultivated hectares and production of sugarcane. Likewise, to explain its behavior and interpret the contribution of N and C released to the atmosphere for burning sugar cane in association with events and meteorological parameters involved in the flux of water between soil and atmosphere such as drought, evapotranspiration and rainfall. The methods and indicators for burning waste provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the value of potential evapotranspiration as Thornthwaite and drought severity index were applied in order to understand the correlations between the drought severity index and potential evapotranspiration, and between C and N release and potential rainfall availability. The results show the increment of harvested hectares and the loss of water from the soil by the increase of periods of drought events and evapotranspiration. The volatilized nutrients in soil varied from 1.32 x 105 to 2.17 x 105 t for C and from 1.32 x 103 t to 2.17 x 103 t for N during the burning of sugarcane, affecting production levels with values fluctuating between 38 t/ha to 77 t/ha for the term of 1990-2010.""El cultivo de caña de azúcar es una actividad agrícola de importancia mundial llevada a cabo en México durante siglos, impactando importantes áreas productivas como la región de estudio llamada Huasteca Potosina, localizada al este central de México. La relación entre las condiciones del suelo, clima y producción por hectárea permite identificar las condiciones edafológicas y climáticas (niveles de aptitud) para cultivar la caña de azúcar en el área de estudio. Bajo este contexto, el objetivo fue analizar la relación entre las hectáreas cultivadas y la producción de caña de azúcar y explicar su comportamiento al interpretar las contribuciones del N y C liberados a la atmósfera por la quema de caña asociados a eventos y parámetros meteorológicos involucrados en el flujo de agua entre el suelo y la atmósfera como sequía, evapotranspiración y lluvia. Los métodos e indicadores para la quema de residuos provistos por el Panel Intergubernamental del Cambio Climático (IPCC. por sus siglas en inglés), el valor de la evapotranspiración potencial por Thornthwaite y el índice de severidad de la sequía fueron aplicados para comprender las correlaciones entre el índice de severidad de la sequía y la evapotranspiración potencial, así como entre el C y el N liberados y la disponibilidad potencial de lluvia. Los resultados muestran el incremento en las hectáreas cosechadas y la pérdida de agua del suelo por el aumento de los periodos de sequía y la evapotranspiración. Los nutrientes del suelo volatilizados, varían de 1.32 x 105 ton a 2.17 x 105 ton para C y 1.32 x 103 ton a 2.17 x 103 ton para N durante la quema de caña de azúcar, lo que afecta sus niveles de producción con valores que fluctúan entre 38 t/ha y 77 t/ha durante el periodo 1990-2010.

Límites máximos de residuos e intervalos de seguridad de plaguicidas en tuna, Opuntia ficus-indica

Dado que no existen plaguicidas registrados para el manejo fitosanitario de las plagas que afectan la producción de tuna, Opuntia ficus-indica (L) Miller 1768, se propusieron límites máximos de residuos (LMRs) de siete plaguicidas en esta fruta. En la evaluación del riesgo dietético crónico se estimaron los niveles de exposición con los métodos de Ingesta Diaria Teórica Máxima (IDTM) e Ingesta Diaria Estimada (IDE). En 2006, se realizaron dos aplicaciones de los plaguicidas malatión, clorpirifos, permetrina, diazinón y dimetoato a la dosis máxima recomendada en las etiquetas. A partir de la segunda aplicación, se realizaron muestreos a los 0, 3, 7, 14, 21 y 28 días después de la aplicación (DDA) y la determinación de sus residuos se hizo por cromatografía de gases y espectrometría de masas. En 2007, se aplicaron spinosad y abamectina, se muestreó a los 0, 1, 3, 7 y 14 DDA y sus residuos se analizaron por cromatografía de líquidos y detector de arreglo de diodos. Las curvas de disipación se definieron matemáticamente para establecer las relaciones óptimas entre los residuos de plaguicidas y el tiempo. Los LMRs propuestos de malatión, clorpirifos, permetrina, diazinón, dimetoato, spinosad y abamectina en tuna son 8.0, 1.0, 3.0, 0.5, 2.0, 0.3 y 0.1 mg kg-1, respectivamente. Las IDTMs o IDEs no excedieron las IDAs. Los parámetros de validación para los análisis de residuos de plaguicidas estuvieron dentro de los valores de referencia aceptables y los límites de cuantificación fueron menores a los LMRs propuestos. Los intervalos de seguridad propuestos para los plaguicidas en tuna son de 4, 17, 4, 10, 16, 5 y 2 días, respectivamente.__________Given that there are not registered pesticides available for phytosanitary control of pest affecting the production of prickly pear cactus fruit, Opuntia ficus-indica (L) Miller 1768, maximum residue limits (MRLs) of seven pesticides were proposed in this fruit. In the chronic dietary risk assessment, the levels of exposure were estimated through the theoretical maximum daily intakes (TMDIs) and estimated daily intake (EDIs) methods. In 2006, the insecticides malathion, chlorpirifos, permethrin, diazinon and dimethoate were applied two times at maximum labeled doses. From the second application, the samplings were carried out at 0, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after application (DAA) and the residue determination were made by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. In 2007, the pesticides spinosad y abamectin were applied and the samplings were made at 0, 1, 3, 7 and 14 DAA and the residues were analyzed by liquid chromatography with diode array detector. Mathematically defined decline curves were established by determining optimal relationship between pesticide residues and time. The proposed MRLs of malathion, chlorpirifos, permethrin, diazinon, dimethoate, spinosad and abamectin in prickly pear cactus are 8.0, 1.0, 3.0, 0.5, 2.0, 0.3 and 0.1 mg kg-1, respectively for each pesticide. The TMDIs or EDIs did not exceed their ADIs. The validation parameters for pesticide residue analysis were between the acceptable reference values and the quantitation limits were lower than the proposed MRLs. The proposed safety intervals for the pesticides in prickly pear cactus fruit are 4, 17, 4, 10, 16, 5 and 2 days, respectively.Tesis ( Doctorado en Ciencias, especialista en Entomología y Acarología).- Colegio de Postgraduados, 2008.CONACY