Sugarcane
Sugar cane is a cultivated plant belonging to the genus Saccharum (family Poaceae or grasses, subfamily Panicoideae), grown mainly for the production of sugar (whole cane sugar or not) extracted from the stalks (or culms). Historically, four species of cane have been domesticated, mainly Saccharum officinarum, but modern cultivars form a complex set of hybrids derived mainly from crosses between Saccharum officinarum and Saccharum spontaneum, with contributions from Saccharum robustum, Saccharum sinense, Saccharum barberi, and several related genera such as Miscanthus, Narenga and Erianthus.
Until the early 19th century, sugar cane was the only major source of sugar, and in the 21st century it still accounts for 70-80% of sugar production. With an annual production volume in excess of 1.9 billion tonnes (fresh matter), or around 570 million tonnes (dry matter), it is one of the world's leading cultivated plants.()
