Genetic Improvement of Sugarcane ( Saccharum spp.) Contributed to High Sucrose Content in China Based on an Analysis of Newly Developed Varieties

Yong Zhao, Jiayong Liu (), Hairong Huang, Fenggang Zan, Peifang Zhao, Jun Zhao, Jun Deng and Caiwen Wu
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Yong Zhao: Sugarcane Research Institude, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kaiyuan 661699, China
Jiayong Liu: Sugarcane Research Institude, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kaiyuan 661699, China
Hairong Huang: Sugarcane Research Institude, Gugangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning 530007, China
Fenggang Zan: Sugarcane Research Institude, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kaiyuan 661699, China
Peifang Zhao: Sugarcane Research Institude, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kaiyuan 661699, China
Jun Zhao: Sugarcane Research Institude, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kaiyuan 661699, China
Jun Deng: Sugarcane Research Institude, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kaiyuan 661699, China
Caiwen Wu: Sugarcane Research Institude, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kaiyuan 661699, China

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 11, 1-16

Abstract: In China, sugarcane ( Saccharum spp.) hybrid cross-breeding began in 1953; approximately 70 years since then, >100 commercial sugarcane varieties have been created. In this study, 88 commercial varieties bred in China between 1953 and 2010 and 12 original foundational varieties were planted to investigate the effect of improving sugarcane varieties in China. Considering 20 years as a time node, the commercial varieties were classified into four improved generations. Retrospective analysis showed significant improvements in sucrose and other technological characteristics of commercial sugarcane varieties. The adoption of improved varieties over generations has continuously increased sugarcane’s sucrose, juice sugar, and gravity purity, and the difference was significant between Gen1 and Gen3, and between Gen2 and Gen4. Gen4 showed 2.06%, 2.35%, and 3.69% higher sugarcane sucrose ( p < 0.01), juice sugar ( p < 0.01), and purity ( p < 0.05), respectively, and 1.13% lower sugarcane fiber ( p < 0.01) than Gen1, the original foundational hybrid varieties. The development of new varieties has improved the technological characteristics of Chinese sugarcane. Sugarcane sucrose, juice sugar, and purity showed an increasing trend. Sugarcane fiber content did not significantly change with the development of new varieties but declined in comparison with the original foundational hybrid varieties.

Keywords: sugarcane ( Saccharum spp.); variety; sucrose; technological characteristics; improvement generations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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