Evaluation of Early Maturing Sugarcane Clones for Yield, Quality and Its Contributing Traits in East Coast Zone of Tamil Nadu

The field experiments were conducted at Sugarcane Research Station (TNAU), Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu and consist of four trials viz., Initial Varietal Trial (IVT), Advanced Varietal Trial - I plant (AVT- I plant), AVT- II plant and AVT-Ratoon. Initial varietal trial consists of eight test clones and three standards; in AVT I plant consist of five test clones and three standards, in AVT II plant and Ratoon, four entries and three standards. Observations were recorded for germination per cent (%), number of tillers (x1000/ha), number of millable cane (x1000/ha), stalk length (cm), stalk diameter (cm), single cane weight(kg) cane yield (t/ha), sucrose(%), CCS(%) and CCS yield (t/ha). The results revealed that, in Initial Varietal Trail, the clone CoC 13337 recorded higher CCS yield (17.92t/ha) followed by the clone CoC 13336 (17.25 t/ha). The Cane yield was maximum in the clone CoC 13337 (139.81 t/ha) followed by the clone CoC 13336 (134.26 t/ha). The sucrose per cent was maximum in the clone CoC 13337 (17.61%) followed by the clone CoC 13336 (17.57%). In AVT- I plant, the clone CoA 12322 recorded the higher cane yield (126.70 t/ha) followed by the clone CoA 12321 (123.23 t/ha) and CoA12323 (122.13 t/ha). The CCS yield was maximum in the clone CoA 12322 (15.92 t/ha) followed by the clone CoOr 12346. The CCS % was maximum in CoOr 12346 (12.75) followed by the standard CoC 01061. The clone CoOr 12346 recorded higher sucrose (17.87%) followed by standard CoC 01061 (17.74%). In AVT–II plant, clone CoC 11336 registered the higher cane yield (139.25t/ha) followed by the CoC 10336 (123.34 t/ha). The CCS yield was maximum in CoC 11336 (17.83 t/ha) followed by CoC 10336 (15.39 t/ha). The sucrose content was maximum in the clone CoC 11336 (17.62%) followed by CoC 01061 (17.48%). In AVT ratoon crop, among the test clones, clone CoC 11336 registered the higher cane yield (134.43t/ha) followed by the clone CoC 10336. The CCS yield was maximum in CoC 11336 (17.27t/ha) followed by CoA 11323. Hence, these promising clones in different trial could be advanced for further breeding programme for release as new sugarcane variety.