Inheritance of sugarcane ratooning ability and the relationship of younger crop traits to older crop traits

• Published in: Crop science Vol. 36; no. 1
• Main Authors: Milligan, S.B. (Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA.), Gravois, K.A, Martin, F.A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.1996
• Subjects: CARACTERES DE RENDIMIENTO; COMPOSANTE DE RENDEMENT; HEREDABILIDAD; HEREDITE; HERENCIA GENETICA; HERITABILITE; MODELE; MODELOS; MULTIPLICATION PAR REJET DE SOUCHE; REBROTE; RENDEMENT DES CULTURES; RENDIMIENTO DE CULTIVOS; REPOUSSE; SACCHAROSE; SACCHARUM; SELECCION; SELECTION; SUCROSA; TALLO; TIGE; UTILIZACION DE RENUEVOS DE LA RAIZ
• ISSN: 0011-183X; 1435-0653
• DOI: 10.2135/cropsci1996.0011183X003600010008x

The inheritance of ratooning ability and the relationship of traits among crops in sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hyb.) has not been well examined. Ratooning ability (RA) was defined as the second ratoon (SR) crop yield percent of the plant cane yield. A replicated 4-yr test at four locations of 37 genotypes was studied for two three-crop cycles. Broad-sense single-plot heritabilities for RA were low (H less than or equal to 17%), while the genetic coefficient of variation of RA was largest for sucrose yield and cane yield (GCV approximately 14.5%), and smallest for stalk diameter (GCV = 1.5%). Cane and sucrose yield RA demonstrated the largest potential for gain, while stalk weight, stalk diameter, and stalk length showed the least. Except for sucrose and cane yield and stalk number, other traits were highly correlated between plant cane and SR crops (r greater than or equal to 0.78). Stalk number in the younger crop was the only trait significantly correlated to ratoon crop cane yield (r = 0.56), suggesting that selection for stalk number in the younger crops would enhance older crop yields. The results indicate that SR crop yields could be predicted by first ratoon crop yields. However, the best improvement of SR yields would be realized by selection in the SR