Sugar & Oil Crops

1)Explain sugar and vegetable oil

2)Identify major sources of sugar

3)Describe the production of sugar crops

4)Describe the production of oil crops

Objectives:

Sugars:

Sugar- any food product used as a sweetener Plants (maple, corn) and animals (lactose or milk sugar) are

sources of sugar

Sugar and Oil

Type of fat obtained from certain plants

Vegetable oils:

Plant sources are the most important

Over half the worlds’ sugar comes from sugar cane 2 forms:

Granulated- crystals of raw sugar or (confectioner’s) finely ground

Liquid-syrup

Sugar Sources:

Crop 7-15 ft. tall Harvested and sent to refinery Crushed and squeezed Blackstrap- the syrup produced during refining Molasses- brown raw sugar that forms during refining

when the blackstrap is removed

Cane Sugar Mfg:

Made from large cone shaped root of the beet Long tap-root makes the beet good for dry growing areas Can be stored outdoors for long periods with no loss Cossetes- the beet slices that are diffused during refining Beet Pulp- the dried out cossetes that remain after

refining often used for cattle feed Where grown:- Minnesota leads production followed by

Idaho, ND, Michigan and California

Beet Sugar Mfg.:

Sugar cane production: Warm tropical climates Very efficient growth Has nodes that can sprout new growth Mature stalks can seed but plants grown for harvest never make it to

this stage Harvested in the fall

Sap- watery juice containing sugar that makes up most of the weight of sugar cane

Ratoon crop- sugar cane produced by sprouting (plants that grow from harvested stubble

Sugar Crop Production:

Beets grown for seed are grown for 2 years Sugar formation increases in late summer as the plants

pull more nitrogen from the soil The harvesting equipment is very unique this equipment

cuts, lifts and loads the beets Beets are hauled to processing facilities or piling stations

Sugar Beet Production:

A variety of grain sorghum produced for its “sweet juice” Can be planted following corn or soybeans Harvested at mature stage with leaves and seed removed Stalks are squeezed the juice is cooked and canned for use

Sweet Sorghum:

Most plants contain small quantities of oil

Cooking oil- plant fat in which foods can be prepared

Mayonnaise, dressing, and shortening  Non-cooking oil- plant fat used in products such as:

Printing ink, soap, leather tanning, fuels

Vegetable Oil Sources:

Ethanol- vegetable oil used as a fuel instead of gasoline

or a blend of the two

Biodiesel- vegetable oil that has undergone esterification and blended with diesel fuel

Bi-products of vegetable oil production: Chewing gum, plywood, crayons, plastics, animal feed,

and fertilizer

Vegetable Oil Sources:

Soybeans, canola, corn, cottonseed, peanuts, safflower,

sesame, flaxseed, Tung seed, rapeseed, mustard, lesquerella, olive, and coconut, spearmint, and peppermint

Various uses on multiple scales (oil and bi-products)

Mfg. of vegetable oils:

Presses and solvents

Oil Crops:

Types grown: 

Soybeans One of the U.S. leading crops More grown in the U.S. than the rest of the world combined 60 million acres per year 25-60 BPA Processed for oil and meal Avg. 11 lbs. of oil, 43 lbs. of meal, 4.2 lbs. of hulls per bushel

Oil Crop Production:

High quality seeds Seedbed: land needs to be leveled be loose at the surface

but tight below to hold water, terraces may also be necessary to slow water and avoid erosion

Seeding: soybeans are drilled to 1.5 – 2 in deep

Planting:

Good bean yields require fertilizer being a legume

nitrogen is not a problem as long as the seeds are inoculated at planting

Inoculating- mixing nitrogen fixing rhizobia bacteria with the seeds

Soil test should be taken to determine the need for soil amendments

Fertilization:

IPM should be used to control pests Common pests include: insects, weeds, and diseases Can be somewhat controlled by planting resistant varieties Cultural practices can be used to avoid certain pest

Pest management:

Combining after plant matures about 14% moisture

Pre-harvest loss- loss that occurs before the combine hits the field (aka shatter)

Harvest loss- loss caused during the harvest (machinery adjustment)

Harvesting:

Ranks 3rd in worldwide oil crop production

Types grown: 

4 types, runner (peanut butter), Virginia (roasting), Spanish (candy), valencia

Peanut Production:

Varieties should be selected for climate adaptation and

yield and must meet market requirements Vary and should be chosen according to region that best

supports their growth and production

Varieties:

harvested when 75% or more of the pods show darkening uses a digger-shaker-windrower

Harvesting:

seeds are 45% oil planted in the spring or fall low levels of erucic acid that causes heart disease ND and MN lead US production Harvested when seeds brown must be harvested before

shatter

Canola Production:

Tall yellow flowers Most go to oil production (smaller seed) some for birdseed, some for human snacks (larger seed) 3 to 1o ft tall head can produce up to 1,000 seeds Require less moisture than most crops due to extensive

root system Slower growth over season

Sunflower Production:

Similar to sunflower Used to make cooking oil, paint, and varnishes Cool temp tolerant Resemble thistles 30% to 40% oil Harvested by combine Shattering is not a problem

Safflower Production:

Sugar crops are sources of food and sweeteners such as:

Sugar beets, cane, corn, and maple

Oil crops are used for: vegetable oils for cooking, food sources, paint, and

fuel Oil crops are:

soybeans, peanuts, cotton seed, corn, canola, sunflowers, and safflowers

Summary:

Cultural requirements vary:

Sugar cane likes tropical climate, high moisture sugar beets like cooler climates with less moisture

Soybeans are the most important oil crop in the U.S good rotational relationship with corn because it is a

legume and can fix nitrogen

Summary:

Peanuts and canola are also important oil crops

Sunflowers and safflowers are lesser grown oil crops in the U.S. but have a niche due to their ability to grow in cooler climates with less moisture

Summary: