Author
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Glaz, Barry |
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Submitted to: Agricultural Research Service Publication
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2003 Publication Date: 2/1/2004 Citation: Glaz, B.S. 2004. Evaluation of new canal point sugarcane clones: 2001 - 2002 harvest season. Agricultural Research Service Publication. ARS-161, 35 pp. Interpretive Summary: Farmers in Florida need a constant influx of new sugarcane varieties. Due to changes in pathogens, varieties that were once resistant and productive can quickly become susceptible and not economical. Changes in farming practices also may lead to changes in variety preferences. For example, in Florida, farmers learned after they converted to a mechanical harvesting system that not all varieties remained economically viable. Variety development and selection can also have ecological impact. The Canal Point program seeks sugarcane varieties that will help Florida sugarcane growers provide water delivery and water quality to the Everglades that will help restoration efforts. The work described in this report identified seven promising varieties in their first year of expanded testing, three in their second year, and none in their third year of testing. CP 94-1100 and CP 94-1340 finished their fourth and final year of testing, and were released for commercial production in Florida. With about 180,000 ha of sugarcane, Florida, the leading sugar producing state in the U.S., produces about 10% of the sugar consumed in the U.S. About 40,000 jobs and several rural economies are dependent on the constant influx of new Canal Point sugarcane varieties. Technical Abstract: Farmers in Florida need a constant influx of new sugarcane varieties. Due to changes in pathogens, varieties that were once resistant and productive can quickly become susceptible and not economical. The purpose of this report was to summarize the tonnage and sugar yields of varieties in the 2001-2002 harvest season from plant-cane, first-ratoon, and second-ratoon experiments of the final testing stage of Florida's public sugarcane cultivar selection program. Thirty replicated experiments were conducted on nine farms (representing five organic soils and two sand soils) to evaluate 48 new Canal Point (CP) clones of sugarcane from the CP 97, CP 96, CP 95, and CP 94 series. Experiments compared the cane and sugar yields of the new clones, complex hybrids of Saccharum spp., with yields of CP 70¿1133, formerly a major commercial sugarcane cultivar on organic soils and now the third most widely grown cultivar on sand soils in Florida. Each clone was rated for its susceptibility to diseases and cold temperatures. Several promising varieties were identified, and CP 94-1100 and CP 94-1340 were released for commercial production in Florida. |
