Registration of 'Ho 13-739' sugarcane

Authors: Todd, James; Hale, Anna; Pan, Yong-Bao; TEW, THOMAS - Retired ARS Employee; WILLIAM, WHITE - Retired ARS Employee; Dufrene, Edwis; GRISHAM, MICHAEL - Retired ARS Employee; HOY, JEFFERY - LSU Agcenter; Penn, Hannah; WILSON, BLAKE - LSU Agcenter; ORGERON, ALBERT - LSU Agcenter; WAGUESPACK, HERMAN - American Sugar Cane League; PONTIF, MICHAEL - LSU Agcenter; GRAVOIS, KENNETH - LSU Agcenter; JACKSON, W - Non ARS Employee; Duet, Michael; Landry, Cory; Verdun, David

Submitted to: Journal of Plant Registrations
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/25/2023
Publication Date: 1/9/2024
Citation: Todd, J.R., Hale, A.L., Pan, Y., Tew, T.L., William, W.H., Dufrene Jr, E.O., Grisham, M.P., Hoy, J., Penn, H., Wilson, B.E., Orgeron, A., Waguespack, H., Pontif, M.J., Gravois, K.A., Jackson, W.R., Duet Jr, M.J., Landry, C.J., Verdun, D.L. 2024. Registration of 'Ho 13-739' sugarcane. Journal of Plant Registrations. https://doi.org/10.1002/plr2.20355.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/plr2.20355

Interpretive Summary: Scientists at the USDA-ARS in Houma, LA, along with the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center and the American Sugar Cane League, Inc., developed and tested a new sugarcane variety called Ho 13-739. This variety, released to Louisiana growers in 2020, was compared to the widely grown L 01-299 variety. The tests were conducted at 13 different farm locations and included three crops: plant-cane, first-ratoon, and second-ratoon. Ho 13-739 consistently showed higher sucrose content and stalk weight compared to L 01-299 across all crops and the entire growing cycle. The sucrose yield, however, was not significantly different from L 01-299. Ho 13-739 had early maturity, but poor tolerance to cold temperatures. It exhibited resistance to smut and mosaic diseases, and moderate susceptibility to brown rust and leaf scald. It was also moderately susceptible to the sugarcane borer. Overall, Ho 13-739 is a valuable variety for sugar producers due to its high sugar content, early ripening, and decent disease resistance.

Technical Abstract: ‘Ho 13-739’ (Reg. No. CV-xxx, PI xxxxxx) sugarcane (an interspecific hybrid of Saccharum spp.) was selected and evaluated by scientists at the USDA-ARS in Houma, LA, in cooperation with the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center and the American Sugar Cane League, Inc. It was released to growers in Louisiana in 2020. Results from evaluations in plant-cane, first, and second-ratoon crops at 13 field locations revealed that sucrose content and stalk weight of Ho 13-739 were significantly greater than ‘L 01-299’ in every crop and across the crop cycle. Sucrose yield was not significantly different than L 01-299 for all crops evaluated and across the crop cycle. Ho 13-739 is an early maturing cultivar with poor mature-stalk cold tolerance. The cultivar is resistant to smut (Sporisorium scitamineum) and mosaic (Sorghum mosaic virus) and moderately suspectable to brown rust (Puccinia melanocephala) and leaf scald caused by (Xanthomonas albilineans). It was also moderately susceptible to the sugarcane borer (Diatraea saccharalis F). Ho 13-739 has important traits for producers such as high sugar content, early maturity, and adequate disease resistance.