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Everglades Station Mimeo Report EES67-9 April 1967


SUGARCANE VARIETY TRIALS DURING 1966-1967 CROP SEASON

F. le Grandl


Introduction
During the 1966-67 crop season four variety trials in plant crop and two
trials in first stubble were harvested. One variety trial, planted in 1966
.-had to be abandoned due to a.poor cane stand. Plant crop results for the trials
now harvested as first stubble were reported in the previous Mimeo Report
EES66-10, April 1966.

Favorable weather conditions prevailed during the crop season without
occurrence of severe frost damage. Varietal yields obtained from the trials
should be examined with this weather condition in mind; yields for each new
variety should be collected for several seasons under different climatic
conditions before final evaluation can be made as to merit.


Methods
Samples of 20 canes each per plot were collected prior to harvest and
milled in a three roller laboratory mill for determination of juice extraction,
and percent brix and sucrose in extracted juice. Cane from each plot, burned
prior to harvest, was harvested manually, topped, and weighed. Cane tonnage
per acre, percent juice extraction, percent available sucrose in juice, and
sugar production per acre were calculated from the analysis of juice extracted
by the laboratory mill and from the cane weight per plot.

Since juice extraction in a laboratory mill is different from extraction
by a commercial milling tandem, the values for juice extraction, percent
available sucrose in juice and sugar production per acre are expressed on the
basis of similar values obtained for a standard-variety. Relative values to
the standard variety are preferred since distorted values are avoided when
comparing with commercial milling results. Values for sugar production per
acre were compared statistically using the Duncan's Multiple Range Test.


l/ Assistant Sugarcane Agronomist, University of Florida, Everglades Experiment
Station, Belle Glade, Florida 33430.





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Results

Plant Crop

Location: Eastgate Farms, Pahokee; soil type: Okeechobee Muck.
Design: 5 x 5 Latin Square.
Date Harvested: December 30, 1966; age: 13-1/2 months.


Variety
U.s. 59-16-1
Cl. 41-223
C.P. 50-28
C.P. 61-55
C.P. 63-635


cane
production
per acre, tons
72.6
67.1
70.4
61.7
64.5


cane
production
per acre
108
100


on basis Cl. 41-223 = 100
available
juice sucrose
extraction, in juice,
percent percent
102 95


100


100


105
92
96


sugar
production
per acre**
105 (a)
100 (a)
87 (a)(b)
79 (a)(b)
69 (b)


Plant Crop

Location: A. Duda & Sons, field 57H, Belle Glade; soil
Design: 5 x 5 Latin Square.
Date Harvested: November 10, 1966; age 11-1/2 months.


type: Everglades Peat.


Variety
C.P. 50-28
cl. 41-223
C.P. 61-55
U.S. 59-16-1
C.P. 63-635


cane
production
per acre, tons
48.9
52.7
43.4


42.2


cane
production
per acre
93


82
102
80


on basis Cl. 41-223 100
available
juice sucrose
extraction, in juice,
percent percent
108 130 1


100
95
1lO
90


100
129
88
112


sugar
production
per acre
26 (a)


100 (b)
97 (b)
96 (b)
78


**Any of two yields not followed by the same letter are significantly different
at the 5% level.







Plant Crop


Location: Florida Sugar Corporation, field D-4-11, Belle Glade;
soil type: Everglades Peat.
Design: 5 x 5 Latin Square.
Date Harvested: February 20, 1967; age: 14 months.


Variety
Cl. 41-223
U.S. 59-16-1
C.P. 63-635
C.P. 50-28
C.P. 61-55


cane
production
per acre, tons
62.7
67.1
63.2
63.1
55.6


cane
production
per acre
100
107
101
101
89


on basis Cl. 41-223 = 100
available
juice sucrose
extraction, in juice, ]
percent percent
100 100 1


103
92
92
82


sugar
production
per acre
00 (a)


91 100 (a)
91 85 (b)
81 82 (b)


Plant Crop

Location: Florida Sugar Corporation, field B-3-35, Belle Glade;
soil type: Everglades Peat.
Design: 5 x 5 Latin Square.
Date Harvested: December 5, 1966; age: 13 months.


Variety
C.P. 62-374
C.P. 62-242
c.P. 50-28
Cl. 41-223
U.S. 59-16-1
C.P. 62-299


cane
production
per acre, tons
65.4


54.1
51.0
46.5
47.2
39.5


cane
production
per acre
140


116
110
100
101
85


on basis Cl. 41-223 = 100
available
juice sucrose
extraction, in juice,
percent percent
103 84


103
93
100
102
103


90
101
100
93
79


sugar
production/
per acre -
124
109
104
100
97
69


2/ Results not significantly different at the 5% level.


----







First Stubble Crop

Location: Florida Sugar Corporation, field L-16-30, Belle Glade;
soil type: Everglades Peat.
Design: 5 x 5 Latin Square.
Date Harvested: November 22, 1966; age: 12 months.


on basis C.P.


Variety
C.P. 50-28
F. 46-136
C.P. 61-55
C.P. 63-635
U.S. 59-16-1


cane
production
per acre, tons
24.6
21.1
21.4
22.7
21.0


production
per acre
100


juice
extraction,
percent
100
116
99
113


50-28 = 100
available
sucrose
in juice,
percent
100


114
92
105


sugar
production2/
per acre -
100
110
98
100
105


First Stubble Crop

Location: Moore Haven, field opposite factory; soil type:
Design: 5 x 5 Latin Square.
Date Harvested: November 17, 1966; age: 11-1/2 months.


on basis C.P.


Variety
U.S. 59-16-1
F. 46-136
C.P. 61-55
C.P. 50-28
C.P. 63-635


cane
production
per acre, tons
24.8
20.3
20.4
17.0


cane
production
per acre
146
119
120
100


juice
extraction,
percent
96
83
91
100


14.2 84 103


50-28 = 100
available
sucrose
in juice,
percent
100
118


sugar
production
per acre
129 (a)
117 (a)(b)


99 109 (a)(b)
.00 100 (a)(b)
96 93 (b)


Sand.


--






Discussion
Varieties employed in replicated trials will be discussed separately.
Conclusions from the results of these trials and discussions of the findings are
only valid for the past season when mild weather prevailed.

U.s. 59-16-1
The variety was tested in four plant crop and two first stubble trials. In
the plant crop, sugar production per acre of U.S. 59-16-1 was slightly less than
the production of the standard variety Cl. 41-223 when the trials were harvested
during November and the beginning of December; sugar production of U.S. 59-16-1
was equal or slightly better than the production of Cl. 41-223 when harvested
during the end of December and February. In all cases the differences in sugar
production per acre between the two varietieswere not statistically significant.

The maturing pattern for U.S. 59-16-1 experienced this season confirms that
the variety can be considered a mid-season maturing variety attaining its
optimum sugar content during January or later. Sucrose content was somewhat
lower than the value found for Cl. 41-223 during the later part of the harvesting
period, while juice extraction was slightly superior.

In the two stubble trials the variety was compared with C.P. 50-28. Sugar
production per acre on organic soil was similar for both varieties when harvested
early in the season. Comparative results were obtained for the plant crop harvests.

Sugar production per acre from U.S. 59-16-1 during the first stubble on sand
in Moore Haven was better than that from C.P. 50-28, although the differences
were not statistically significant. Similar, but significant results were obtained
for the plant crop.

Cane yields for U.S. 59-16-1 and C.P. 50-28 on the muck soil dropped from
52.0 and 61.1 to 21.0 and 24.6 tons per acre for the plant and first stubble
crops, respectively. Reductions in cane tonnage from plant to first stubble
crops in sandy soil were from 40.3 to 24.8 tons per acre, respectively, for U.S.
59-16-1 and from 18.6 to 17.0 tons per acre, respectively, for C.P. 50-28.

C.P. 63-635
In all trials sugar production of C.P. 63-635 was significantly inferior to
the standard variety. The variety should not be planted in further trials.

C.P. 61-55
In one trial sugar production of C.P. 61-55 was significantly inferior to
the standard and in two trials the sugar production was inferior to the standard
although not significantly. The inferior performance of C.P. 61-55 does not
warren further experimentation.

C.P. 62-299
This variety was planted in one trial and, although differences were not
significantly different, sugar production was inferior to that obtained from
Cl. 41-223 and U.S. 59-16-1.







c.P. 62-374
This variety also was tried only in one experiment due to the limited
planting material available. Sugar production was superior, although not
significantly, when compared with the production of Cl. 41-223 and U.S. 59-16-1.
The variety C.P. 62-374 produced 40 percent more cane tonnage than Cl. 41-223.
Percent available sucrose in juice was disappointing at the time of harvest at
the beginning of December. Additional cane samples, taken from a border row
during February, however, indicated a sucrose content similar to the one obtained
at the same time from Cl* 41-223, which may indicate that C.P. 62-374 is late
maturing. C.P. 62-374 produced a very heavy, tall, and solid stalk with long
internodes which have a larger diameter than stalks of Cl. 41-223. It is a
fast growing variety) "closing in" in a comparatively short time. The top seems
to be brittle, having a tendency to break easily. Juice extraction is favorable
and early indications are that it may have a low fiber content. A sufficient
area is presently planted with this variety to be used in further replicated
trials.

C.P. 62-242
This variety yielded a higher tonnage and sugar production than the standard
Cl. 41-223. The variety has a tendency to lodge heavily, and this characteristic
may prove disadvantageous for harvesting.












EES67-9
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