Global, regional, and national temperatures have indeed been on an increase over the past few decades. This rise in temperature can have significant changes not only on the quantity but also on the quality of production in the agriculture sector. Hence, the study on the effect of temperature on the quality of sugarcane sucrose produced in the last twenty (20) years from the year 2001 to 2020 at Nakambala estate was instituted. Nakambala estate is located 125km south of Lusaka, Zambia at a geographical location of 15o 52′ 0′′ S and 27o 46′ 0′′ E.
This scientific study used historical data measured by an automated sacharimeter (to test for sucrose content) at the Direct Analysis of Cane Laboratory (DAC) stored on the Nakambala intranet communication systems. The temperature data was obtained from the automated meteorological station located at geographical coordinates 15o 14′ 85′′ S and 27o 44′ 31′′ E. The temperature analysed was the average of the maximum and minimum temperature.
The mean yearly temperature values were obtained from the annual monthly means and were plotted on graphs against time. The sucrose quality against time was plotted to establish relationships. The sugarcane sucrose quality data was detrended to remove other influencing factors on sucrose quality. Similarly, the non-detrended data was also used to obtain relationships with annual mean temperature. The excel data analysis tool pack was used obtain tables for the Analysis of Variance and the regression analysis.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Background of the study
1.2 Statement of the problem
1.3 Research objectives
1.4 Research questions
1.5 Hypothesis
1.6 Justification
1.7 Theoretical framework
2. Literature Review
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Temperature and sugarcane sucrose
2.3 Sugarcane Flowering and Sucrose Quality
2.4 Sucrose quality and sugarcane ripening
2.5 Sugarcane planting
2.6 Water requirement for sugarcane
2.6.1 Sugarcane varieties
2.6.2 N25
2.6.3 N 41
2.6.4 N23
2.6.5 R579
2.7 Burn to Harvest to Crush Delay
3. Research Methodology
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Study area location and description
3.3 Research design
3.4 Data collection and analysis
3.5 Limitations of the study
4. Results
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Mean temperature trend from the year 2001 to 2020
4.3 Sucrose trend from the year 2000 to 2020
4.4 Sucrose quality detrended – over the twenty (20) year period
4.4.1 Sucrose percent verses sucrose detrended percent
4.4.2 Sucrose detrend and Mean Temperature relationship
5. Discussion
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Temperature trend from 2001 to 2020
5.2.1 Sucrose quality trends from the Year 2001 to 2020
5.2.2 Sucrose Quality detrended
5.2.3 Sucrose quality data detrend verses sucrose quality data
5.3 Sugarcane Sucrose quality detrended and mean ambient temperature relationship
5.4 Conclusion
5.5 Recommendation
Objectives and Topics
The primary aim of this research is to evaluate whether historical trends in ambient temperature over a twenty-year period (2001–2020) have significantly impacted the quality of sugarcane sucrose produced at the Nakambala Estate in Zambia.
- Impact of climate change and rising temperatures on agricultural productivity.
- Analysis of sucrose quality trends and temperature fluctuations over two decades.
- Scientific methodology for data collection using automated saccharimeters and meteorological data.
- Statistical evaluation of relationships between environmental temperature and sucrose content.
- Evaluation of non-agronomic factors influencing sugarcane sucrose yield.
Excerpt from the book
1.1 Background of the study
Global temperature rise has been recorded of 1.5oC before the industrial age (IPCC, 2018, Arneth et al., 2019) with Zambia recording an annual increase of 1.3oC since 1960 (Chisanga et al., 2017; McSweeny et al., 2010).
The sugarcane crop like other crop grows well to produce quality sucrose at a temperature of 18 – 35oC. The sugarcane crop requires warm and cool temperatures within which to grow and mature. It is important to understand which factors could be limiting in the production of quality sucrose to avoid spurious claims.
Climate Change threatens the most required human development in society with agriculture being most prone and sensitive to its change and variability (Chisanga et. al., 2017; Zhao and Li, 2015). The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported a global mean temperature increase of 1.5oC from the year 2006 to 2015 (Bita and Gerats, 2013; Arneth et al., 2019). In Africa a temperature increase of 0.6 to 1.4oC is expected by 2030 whereas the mean annual increase for Zambia stands at 1.3oC since 1960 (Chisanga et al., (2017); McSweeny et al., 2010). A temperature increase of 3 - 4oC can result in a yield drop of 15 to 35% in Africa and Asia, and 25 to 35% in the Middle East (Bita and Gerats, 2013).
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This chapter provides the research background concerning global and local temperature increases and establishes the problem statement regarding sugarcane sucrose quality.
2. Literature Review: The literature review examines the physiological impacts of temperature on sugarcane growth, sucrose synthesis, and the various agronomic factors that dictate crop quality.
3. Research Methodology: This section details the data collection process at the Nakambala Estate, including the use of automated saccharimeters and meteorological stations over a twenty-year period.
4. Results: This chapter presents the findings of the study, indicating a rise in temperature and a decline in sucrose levels, while statistically evaluating their potential correlation.
5. Discussion: The discussion interprets the results, concluding that temperature does not have a significant influence on sucrose quality, suggesting that other unmeasured factors are responsible for the observed decline.
Keywords
Sugarcane, Sucrose Quality, Temperature, Climate Change, Nakambala Estate, Zambia, Agriculture, Data Detrending, Photosynthesis, Sucrose Accumulation, Agronomy, Meteorological Data, Yield, Plant Physiology, Abiotic Stress
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this dissertation?
The primary focus is to investigate if the long-term rise in temperature over two decades (2001–2020) at the Nakambala Estate in Zambia has had a measurable impact on the quality of sugarcane sucrose produced.
What are the primary themes discussed in the research?
The work explores the intersection of climate change and industrial agriculture, discussing sucrose physiology, the impact of temperature on plant growth, and the specific variables affecting sucrose partitioning in sugarcane.
What is the main research objective?
The main objective is to determine the trends in both temperature and sugarcane sucrose quality over twenty years and to statistically assess whether a causal relationship exists between them.
Which scientific methodology does the author employ?
The study utilizes historical data from an automated saccharimeter and a local meteorological station, applying detrending analysis and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to evaluate potential correlations.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers a comprehensive review of literature regarding crop physiology, detailed methodology for historical data analysis, and the presentation/discussion of empirical results derived from the Nakambala Estate operations.
What are the fundamental keywords characterizing this research?
Key terms include Sugarcane, Sucrose Quality, Temperature, Climate Change, Nakambala Estate, Agriculture, and Data Detrending.
Did the study discover a significant link between global warming and sucrose quality?
No, the study concluded that while there was an increase in mean temperature of 1.18°C over the study period, there was no statistically significant influence of temperature on the quality of sugarcane sucrose.
How does the author explain the decline in sucrose quality if not by temperature?
The author suggests that the decline is likely due to other unidentified factors, possibly related to management practices like crop nutrition, and recommends further research to isolate these variables.
- Citation du texte
- Tellespholias Maanya (Auteur), 2022, The Effect of Temperature on the Quality of Sugarcane Sucrose at Nakambala Estate, Zambia, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1263147
