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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Miami, Florida » Subtropical Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #260053
Title: Screening Saccharum barberi and sinense accessions for flood tolerance and biomass production

Author
item Reed, Stewart
item Ayala-Silva, Tomas
item BROWN, JAMES - Mars, Inc
item Glaz, Barry
item Comstock, Jack

Submitted to: Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/23/2011
Publication Date: 2/16/2012
Citation: Reed, S.T., Ayala Silva, T., Brown, J., Glaz, B.S., Comstock, J.C. 2012. Screening Saccharum barberi and sinense accessions for flood tolerance and biomass production. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science. 198(3):236-244.

Interpretive Summary: Sugarcane breeding programs concentrate on Saccharum spontaneum species to impart tolerance to environmental stresses and S. officinarum for high sugar content. Most programs are interested in maximum sugar content and therefore, little work has been done on selecting sugarcane species for biomass production. This study evaluated the biomass production potential of S. barberi (Jeswiet) and S. sinense (Roxb. Amend. Jeswiet) varieties. Twenty S. sinense and 29 S. barberi sugarcane varieties were randomly planted and exposed to no flood or flood durations of four or seven days. Overall, flooding had no effects on sugarcane growth, however, in two individual varieties, China and Lu Cane, sucrose production increased with additional flooding. The seed cane produced larger plants with a greater percentage of fiber and sucrose. The ratoon crop produced higher Brix values (Brix is an estimate of the sugar content of the material squeezed from the cane and fiber is the remaining pulp). Brix and fiber were negatively correlated to stem diameter. Stem height was the only physical characteristic that could be linked to sugar factors. Traits associated with sugar production were related to stem height and fiber. Biomass production from sugarcane requires a high sugar and low fiber content. Several varieties with high sucrose, high plot weight and low fiber were identified. These accessions make attractive selections in breeding for biomass production.

Technical Abstract: Breeding programs concentrate on S. spontaneum species to impart tolerance to environmental stresses and S. officinarum for high sugar content. Most programs are interested maximum sugar content. Little work has been done on selecting sugarcane species for biomass production. This study evaluated the biomass production potential of Saccharum barberi (Jeswiet) and S. sinense (Roxb. Amend. Jeswiet) accessions. Plots were arranged in a completely randomized design with 20 S. sinense and 29 S. barberi accessions, two flood durations with non-flooded controls and three replications of each treatment. There were no significant flood effects. However, in two individual accessions, China and Lu Cane, sucrose production increased with additional flooding. The seed cane produced larger plants with a greater percentage of fiber and sucrose. Higher Brix values were obtained with the ratoon crop. Brix and fiber were negatively correlated to stem diameter. Stem height was the only physical characteristic that responded to changes in sugar factors. Barberi accessions had high loadings for variables associated with sugar production and stem height and fiber had moderate loadings for factor 1. Factor 1 explained 35% of variance in the data. The second factor revealed high loadings for variables associated with plant size. The second principal factor explained 30 % of the proportional and 65 % of the cumulative variance in the data. Several accessions with high sucrose, high plot weight and low fiber were identified. These accessions make attractive selections in breeding for biomass production.