Genetic variability for cane yield, earliness and quality traits in sugarcane under subtropical region of India

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp. complex) is an important cash crop of sugar industry. It is generally grown in tropics; however its productivity depends on the varieties cultivated from different maturity group, the agro-climatic conditions of the region and cultural practices followed. The subtropical region for sugarcane cultivation occupies about 50 per cent of the national area. So, present study was under taken to evaluate twelve elite sugarcane clones belonging to early maturity group under subtropical condition of India at Punjab Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Kapurthala, during 2013 in randomized block design in plot size of 36 m¬2 having three replications with an inter-row spacing of 75cm. The data were recorded on eight yield and quality traits viz. cane length (m), cane diameter (cm), single cane weight (kg), juice/cane (kg), juice extraction (%), brix (%) in juice, sucrose (%) in juice and Purity (%). The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the clones for all the traits studied. The magnitudes of phenotypic variances were higher than genotypic variances for all the traits. Moderate to high heritability coupled with high genetic advance were recorded for juice/cane, juice extraction %, single cane weight, cane length and sucrose per cent. Positive and significant associations of juice/cane, juice extraction, brix per cent and sucrose per cent in juice were recorded with single cane weight. The mean performance of different clones for traits studied ranged, cane length (1.71 – 2.70m), cane diameter (2.12 – 2.73cm), single cane weight (0.99 – 1.69kg), juice/cane (0.50 – 1.05kg), Juice extraction (44.41 – 74.48%), brix (13.35 – 18.63%), pol (11.33 – 17.22%) and purity (83.01 – 91.13%). The characters with high heritability coupled with genetic advance and positive association with cane yield are advocated as selection criteria for yield improvement in sugarcane and identification of promising early maturing clones under subtropical conditions.