• Sugarcane Analytical lab

The sugar crops analytical laboratory is the only place in Government of Khyber Paktunkhwa that meets the needs of sugar cane and sugar beet growers in terms of sugar content analysis. A variety can be released only if there is sufficient amount of sucrose. This laboratory provides information about the total soluble solids i.e. Degree brix, Pol reading, fibre content and recovery/CCS of a particular variety.

• Brix reading

Sugarcane samples are crushed using power crusher. The juice is collected in jugs. The juice is further added to a 500ml graduated cylinder and brix hydrometer is inserted. The juice is allowed to stand and then the degree brix and temperature readings are recorded.

• POL reading

150 ml juice is taken in a conical flask and 1 to 2 grams of lead acetate per litre is added to settle down the impurities. The juice is filtered for pol reading. The pol tube is rinsed with the filterate and afterwards the tube is filled with aliqot for pol reading.

• Recovery

The pol reading and Degree brix readings are further worked into corrected brix and pol percent values using Shmitz tables for recovery calculation.

However the scientists of SCRI have developed excel procedure for the same in order to save time and get accurate results.

• Fiber percent

Sugarcane samples are crushed using fibre machine and 10 grams of fibre is weighed in a petri dish. The wet samples are oven dried till constant weight. The fibre content is calculated using moisture content, brix readings using formulae; excel procedure at SCRI Mardan.