Sugarcane Clones Suitable for Water Logging Situations of Andhra Pradesh, India

AbstractSixteen pre-release sugarcane clones were tested against sugarcane varieties 87A 298 and 83V 15 as checks for their suitability to water logged/ Inundated conditions at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Anakapalle during 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23. Sugarcane clones tolerant to water logging/ Inundation is need of the hour as sugarcane yields are drastically reducing due to situation of water logging. Field experiments were conducted with creation of water logging during grand growth stage of sugarcane for evaluation of sugarcane clones tolerance to waterlogging / Inundation conditions. Among fifteen prerelease sugarcane clones tested sugarcane clones 2015A 233 (88.78 t/ha), 2015A 57 (79.84 t/ha), 2015A 59 (79.44 t/ha). 2015A 93 (78.97 t/ha) and 2006A 102 (78.63 t/ha) recorded higher cane yield over other clones tested under water logging/ inundation. The standards 87A298 and 83V 15 recorded a cane yield of 73.30 t/ha and 76.06 t/ha which are lower than the superior clones. These clones also recorded significantly low SLA which indicates more photosynthetic assimilates per unit area and SPAD/SCMR values under water logging (Grand growth stage). These sugarcane clones also recorded significantly higher SPAD/SCMR values over standard 87A 298 (20.86). The ancillary data denoting water logging tolerance like sheath moisture per cent at waterlogging, root spread area, total bio mass production per stool underwater logging and physiological parameters like leaf proline content (169.98 to 182.29 µ moles/gr. fresh weight) is also high in these sugarcane clones denoting water logging stress tolerance. Based on three years findings, sugarcane clones2015A 233, 2015A 15, 2015A 59, 2015A 93and 2006A 192 were found to be suitable for water logging / inundation/ flooding conditions of cane cultivation based on cane yield, ancillary data and physiological traits in relation to water logging tolerance. The dead cane percent was ranged from6.29% (87A 298) to 25.13% (2015A 230). The standards 87A 298 and 83 V 15 recorded a dead canes percent of 6.29% and 18.35% respectively. The green leaves percent at water logging was high in sugarcane clones 2007A 81 (89.55) followed by 2015A 199 (88.50) and 2015A 187 (87.38) which are lesser than standard 87A 298 (90.29%).