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Rinskor™ Active Improves Sugar Yield in Brazil

pieces of sugar cane and a glass of caramel colored liquid on a table

An astonishing 85% of the world’s total sugar production comes from sugarcane. But in addition to the sweet stuff, sugarcane is also used to produce biofuels like ethanol, biochemicals such as solvents, and spirits, including rum and the Brazilian specialty cachaça, pictured above.

Brazil leads the world in sugarcane production and export, working to meet an increasing global demand. In fact, it’s the nation’s number-three crop. Brazil supplies 50% of the world’s sugar, making it critical for the country’s farmers, despite only a small portion of the country’s land — around 1% — being dedicated to sugarcane crops. Sugarcane is also vital to Brazil’s farming legacy. Around 40% of the sugarcane processed there comes from independent farmers.¹

The value of sugarcane harvest is determined by the amount of sucrose (sugar) that accumulates in the stalk. Sucrose is extracted from the stalk juice. The juicier the stalk, the easier it is to extract the sugar. And the more concentrated the sucrose is, the higher the quality of sugar produced by the cane. Stalks that are juicy and have high sucrose concentration will deliver the best profitability to farmers.

Maintaining yield potential in stalks

To maximize the value of their crop, farmers who grow sugarcane for processing want the plant to direct as much energy as possible to producing and depositing that sucrose in the stalk, instead of into reproducing itself. As it ripens, the stalk of the plant can also become dehydrated. This process, called styrofoamization, causes a number of undesirable effects, such as a decrease in mass, reduction of sucrose content, greater risk for microbial contamination and the creation of more fiber in the stalk, which can make juice extraction more difficult. Products that reduce styrofoamization help protect the quality of sugarcane raw material harvest, for better marketability.

Cross section view of sugarcane stalks showing juice content as plant develops. As the plant moves closer to flowering, the amount of stalk volume holding valuable juice decreases.

A new use for an effective herbicide

Several years ago, Corteva Agriscience researchers discovered that Rinskor™ active, an effective herbicide used primarily in rice crops, had potential to help sugarcane plants be more productive and retain their juices. Researchers conducted field studies to confirm the ingredient’s efficacy for this use and, in 2023, Relicta® with Rinskor active was approved for use in sugarcane in Brazil.

Rinskor binds to specific receptors in plants and works systematically. It’s primarily absorbed by a plant’s foliage, metabolized, then moves through the plant’s vascular tissue. In sugarcane, the systemic action of Rinskor works to direct more of the plant’s energy to sucrose production.

Sugarcane stalks with and without Relicta

The untreated sugarcane shows much higher levels of styrofoamization compared to the sugarcane treated with Relicta with Rinskor active. Lower styrofoamization results in better yield quality, quantity and crop marketability.

Easy to use with a favorable environmental profile

One of the biggest benefits of Rinskor™ active is that it has very low use rates compared to other commonly used products.

Relicta® has an active ingredient use rate of just 7.5 grams per hectare — that’s 63 times less than other commonly used products. Relicta is effective at such low use rates in part because it’s formulated with NeoEC™ emulsifiable concentrate technology. The NeoEC formulation helps sugarcane absorb the product efficiently and has other convenience and sustainability benefits.

Thanks to this formulation, Relicta is ready to dilute in water, and there’s no need to add a pH reducer or other adjuvants. The NeoEC formulation also uses vegetable-origin solvents with low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and it’s free from petroleum derivatives. This improves ease of handling and reduces the product’s environmental footprint.

Improved sugarcane quality and yields

For sugarcane farmers looking for an option to help their crop reach more of its yield potential, Relicta® with Rinskor™ active offers a an easy-to-use option with a favorable environmental profile compared to alternatives. By helping them grow a more profitable crop, Relicta with Rinskor can make an important contribution to Brazil’s 76,000 independent sugarcane famers,¹ helping them leave behind a sustainable legacy for the next generation.

Learn more about Rinskor active

Relicta® is not registered for sale or use in all states or countries. Contact your local regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your area. Always read and follow label directions.

¹ “Sugarcane.” Brazilian Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock (CNA), September 9, 2022, https://brazilianfarmers.com/discover/sugarcane-2/.

Rinskor™ Active Improves Sugar Yield in Brazil

Maintaining yield potential in stalks

A new use for an effective herbicide

Easy to use with a favorable environmental profile

Improved sugarcane quality and yields

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