Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #179747
Title: A COMPARISON OF GROWTH AND SUGAR ACCUMULATION IN SUGARCANE GENOTYPES ADAPTED TO HAWAII OR LOUISIANA

Author
item Lingle, Sarah
item Tew, Thomas

Submitted to: American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/29/2005
Publication Date: 7/20/2005
Citation: Lingle, S.E., Tew, T.L. 2005. A Comparison of Growth and Sugar Accumulation in Sugarcane Genotypes Adapted to Hawaii or Louisiana [abstract]. Journal of the American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists. 25. Available: http://www.assct.org/journal/journal.htm

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Louisiana sugarcane breeders are using Hawaiian (HI) genotypes to increase the genetic base of new cultivars. Cultivars developed in Hawaii have high tonnage potential, but are adapted to two-year crop cycles. We were interested in the growth and sugar accumulation of HI genotypes when grown in the short Louisiana season. We sampled stalks of four HI genotypes (US 02-101, US 02-102, US 02-103, and US 02-104) and two Louisiana (LA) cultivars, HoCP 85-845 and LCP 85-384, grown in Schriever, Louisiana. Samples were taken during the grand growth and ripening stages in the plant and first ratoon crops. We determined stalk length and internode number, and then sampled internodes 2, 5, 8 and 11 from the top, from which sugars were extracted. Stalk length was the same in all genotypes except US 02-104, which had longer stalks due to a greater number of above-ground internodes. Internodes of the LA genotypes generally had a higher total sugar concentration than the HI genotypes. The differences in sucrose accumulation were even greater. Internodes of LA genotypes accumulated more sucrose than the HI genotypes, especially during ripening. Only US 02-103 approached the two LA genotypes in sucrose concentration. LA genotypes also had a higher sucrose:total sugar ratio than HI genotypes. The four HI genotypes evaluated in this experiment had reduced sugar accumulation compared to the LA cultivars. While introduction of HI germplasm into the Louisiana breeding program may broaden the genetic base of sugarcane genotypes, it may do so at the cost of sugar accumulation.