Performance of New Sugarcane Varieties in the Northern Humid Coastal Plains of Puerto Rico

Abstract

Three sites were selected in the northern humid coastal plains of Puerto Rico for the performance evaluation of 57 new sugarcane varieties. The experiments were located on typical soils of the sugarcane producing northern coastal plain region. A plant crop (fall planting) and two ratoons were harvested at each site. On the San Francisco farm between Arecibo and Utuado, the outstanding new varieties which outyielded all the others tested were PR 64-2548, PR 1152, PR 65-325 and PR 64-2705. Of these, PR 1152 and PR 64-2705 are the most promising varieties in this area because of their erect growth and the good quality of their juice. On the Las Claras farm, near Arecibo, the most promising new varieties for the area were PR 1141 and PR 62-258. On the Consejo farm at Barrio Bajadero, Arecibo, varieties PR 1117, PR 1152, Selección Soller, PR 1048, PR 62-469 and the PR 65-2523 performed best on the basis of cane tonnage. As a commercial variety for the area, PR 1152 was the most promising variety, having a good juice quality and intermediate cane tonnage per acre (40 to 45 tons). It can be harvested mechanically without difficulties because of its erect growth habit. PR 980 produced good tonnage, but was low in sucrose content, indicating that it should not be recommended for the northern humid coastal plains of Puerto Rico.