Resumen
- The higher heating value (HHV) of sugarcane biomass components has been well documented; however, the effect of different soil water levels (abiotic stress) during the growing season on HHV has not been assessed for this energy crop. Drip irrigation in sugarcane production presents a potential to be a disruptive technology for sugarcane mills in terms of water-energy-nexus, making this inextricable relationship more efficient. The objective of this article was to quantify the higher heating value and useful energy from biomass partitions of different sugarcane varieties (Saccharum spp.) drip irrigated at four water levels and four maturation processes (drying off intensity prior to harvesting time); this information is not available in literature to date. The contribution of this article to the state of the art of knowledge are: a) the heating values for sugarcane partitions: bagasse, leaves and pointers did not vary significantly for varieties, water stress levels under drip irrigation and maturation processes; conversely, the heating value for the sheath biomass partition vary significantly for varieties.