IDENTIFICATION OF PRINCIPLE TRAITS AMICABLE FOR MECHANIZED HARVESTING IN SUGARCANE ELITE GENOTYPES

Abstract

Sugarcane is a labour-intensive crop. Given the current trend in workforce availability for sugarcane production, it has been observed that contemporary machinery use is unavoidable. The present study was taken up with objective to develop erect and non-lodging sugarcane plant types suitable for mechanical harvesting and to test the suitability of developed sugarcane clones for mechanical harvesting. Fifteen clones evolved from fluff supply programme were analyzed for genetic parameters which are amicable for mechanical harvesting. Results depicted that there were remarkable differences between genotypes. Analysis of variance revealed that there is a significant difference between the genotypes under study. High GCV and PCV values were depicted by Tiller population 120@DAP (000s/h), NMC, HR Brix %, Lodging resistance index, average ratooning ability and leaf angle inclination respectively. Regression analysis showed that harvesting efficiency was positively influenced by basal/middle stem ratio (+6.03), cane yield (+0.79) followed by number of millable canes (+0.50) respectively. The model explains 99.95% of the variance in harvestability. Higher Basal/Middle diameter ratio and more lodging resistance index (>2.31) improve harvestability. P values are < 0.05 for all the predictor variables indicating the significance of each variable. Harvesting efficiency mainly depends on lodging resistance index, ratio of basal to middle stem diameter, member of millable canes, optimum height, less crown weight to cane weight ratio, maximum tillering at 120 days after planting, high cane yield, low harvesting time/acre and leaf angle inclination are some of the traits where a breeder has to concentrate for the development of genotypes that are suitable for mechanical harvesting. From the study it was revealed that the new sugarcane varieties viz., 2016A642, 2016A381, 2016A385 and 2016A379 were highly suitable for mechanical harvesting in view of their mechanical amicable traits.