Performance of New Sugarcane Varieties in the Southern Irrigated Coastal Plains of Puerto Rico

Abstract

Sixty sugarcane varieties, sorted in five experiments, were grown in the South Coastal plains for performance evaluation. Experiments were located at Guayanilla farm, at Union and Cintrona farms in Ponce, and at Florida and Centro farms in the Salinas-Santa Isabel area. Experiments were planted and cultivated following the standard practice of the sugarcane industry. Data on rendiments and tons of cane and of sugar per acre were recorded for the plant cane and two ratoon crops of each experiment. Other agronomic characteristics such as growth habits, stooling and ratooning ability, and fiber content were also recorded. Data of the three crops were statistically analyzed for rendiments, TCA and TSA. PR 63-488, CP 52-43 and PR 63-525 were the most promising varieties in the Guayanilla area. Although they did not produce significantly more sugar than the checks, they are better suited to mechanized harvesting. PR 61-632, PR 63-525 and PR 64-1791 were the most promising in the Ponce area (Centro and Cintrona farms) because of their higher sugar yields and their harvestability characteristics. PR 61-632, PR 1152, PR 63-525, PR 64-1791 and PR 1124 were promising in the Salinas-Santa Isabel area. With these new varieties, cost of sugar production is lower than with the old commercial varieties, which are unsuited to mechanized harvesting and have poor juice quality.