Evaluation of Cane Yield and Agronomic Traits of Ratoon Crops Grown in a Drought Period of 16 Rainfed Advanced Sugarcane Clones

Abstract

The ratooning ability or cane yield of ratoon crops in the Northeast of Thailand is relatively low compared to the potential for the variety. This may be due to the prevailing drought conditions or due to the unsuitability of the varieties of sugarcane under plant. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the yield and agronomic traits of 16 advanced sugarcane clones that were ratoon-cropped during a drought period (and whose only source of water was rainfall) and to investigate the relationship between the yield and agronomic traits under different conditions. The field experiments were conducted in Nong Saeng district, Udon Thani province (sandy loam soil) and Kuchinarai district, Kalasin province (sandy soil). A randomized complete block design with 4 replications and 16 advanced sugarcane clones were used. The crops were harvested at 12 months and evaluated for yield, C.C.S., and various agronomic traits (millable cane, stalk diameter and stalk length). The sugarcane varieties showed significantly different traits, and environment was also significantly connected with variations in millable cane, stalk diameter, stalk length and cane yield. Furthermore, the interaction of genotype and location had significant influence on cane yield, C.C.S., millable cane, stalk diameter and stalk length. The sugarcane genotype KK3 showed high cane yield when grown in both sandy loam soil (Udon Thani) and sandy soil (Kalasin). Whereas the CSB06-4-162 and MPT02-458 types showed high yield when grown in sandy soil, the KK06-501, 91-2-527, MPT03-166, RT2004-085 and LK92-11 types showed high yield when grown in sandy loam soil. In addition, the agronomic traits, such as millable cane and stalk length, were positively correlated with ratoon crop yield. Therefore, based on the results, it can be concluded that the factors discussed above contribute to the ratooning ability or cane yield of ratoon for rain-fed sugar cane grown under drought conditions in the Northeast region of Thailand.