Chemical ripeners increase early season sugar content in a range of sugarcane varieties
T. Morgan A C D , P. Jackson B , L. McDonald A and J. Holtum CA CSR Sugar Ltd, Kalamia Mill Estate, Ayr, Qld 4807, Australia.
B CSIRO Plant Industry, Davies Laboratory, Aitkenvale, Qld 4814, Australia.
C James Cook University, Tropical Plant Sciences, Douglas, Qld 4811, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: tcmorgan@tpg.com.au
Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 58(3) 233-241 https://doi.org/10.1071/AR06018
Submitted: 19 January 2006 Accepted: 14 November 2006 Published: 16 March 2007
Abstract
Ripening in sugarcane refers to an increase in sugar content on a fresh weight basis before commercial harvest. Certain chemicals are applied to cane in commercial fields in some countries to accelerate ripening and improve profitability of sugar production. However, responses have usually been reported to be variety and environment specific. We examined changes in the sucrose content in the juice extracted from 43 Australian sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrid) varieties in response to 4 ripener treatments in the Burdekin region in northern Queensland over 2 years. The 4 treatments applied were ethephon (as Ethrel®) + fluazifop-P butyl (as Fusilade®), Fusilade® alone, glyphosate (as Weedmaster® Duo), and haloxyfop-R methyl (as Verdict®). These treatments were applied in March–April each year and compared with an untreated control. Of particular interest was whether economic responses are possible for Australian varieties harvested in the May and June period when sugar content in cane is usually low. Increases in sucrose (measured by pol) levels in cane juice were observed after combined application of Ethrel + Fusilade (E+F) and after application of glyphosate, although the result for the latter varied between years. These results suggest that opportunities exist in the Australian industry to improve the profitability of early-harvested sugarcane crops, but further research is required to quantify effects on cane yield and responses in diverse environments.
Additional keywords: sucrose, immature sugarcane, ripening, early season harvesting, ethephon, fluazifop, glyphosate.
Acknowledgments
This work was funded by the Sugar Research Development Corporation and CSR Ltd Technical assistance from the Technical Field Department was received from Jeff Olsen, Steve Elliot, Trevor Pollard, Rick Revelon, Michael Curtis, Andrew Brittain, Vallis Nixon, Leigh Chappel, Franco Zanni, and Sharon Newton. Technical assistance from Bill Messer and John Foreman of CSIRO Plant Industry is also acknowledged. Meteorological data were provided by Steve Attard and Geoff Bamber from CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems. Dale Chapple from BSES Brandon also helped provide references from the BSES Library in Brisbane. Kind thanks to Andrew Wood and Graham Bonnett for assistance with the reviewing process. The paper reports research undertaken by the senior author in partial fulfilment of the requirements of a MSc degree awarded by James Cook University in 2003, and with support from a CRC for Sustainable Sugar Production studentship award.
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