Influencing Sugarcane Juice Purity/Clarity

Potassium

Potassium has a key role to play in sugar synthesis and its translocation to the cane. It also improves sugar quality increasing Pol and Brix levels and reducing fiber content. Luxury uptake though, adversely affects sugar crystallization. Potassium improves juice purity, it is also important to balance nitrogen use with potassium, to maximize sugar conversion, content and juice quality. Late nitrogen application can reduce sugar purity, color and clarification.

On the other hand, too high K supply, can trigger luxury consumption of potassium adversely affects the crystallization of sugar and results in poor recovery of raw and refined sugar leading to higher sugar losses in molasses. Excess potassium also increases the ash content in sugarcane juice.

Magnesium

Magnesium supply helps maintain sucrose content in the cane by boosting protein synthesis while improving juice quality.

Sulfur

Research confirms that sulfur has an effect on a range of characteristics that influence sugar quality, including Brix, Pol, juice purity and CCS.