Abstract

CUENYA, María I. et al. Effects of seedcane quality on yielding components of varieties CP65-357 and LCP85-384 (Saccharum spp.) in different crops (Part I). Rev. ind. agríc. Tucumán [online]. 2007, vol.84, n.1, pp.9-14. ISSN 1851-3018.

Until recently, the main sugarcane varieties planted in Tucumán showed high levels of infection by Ratoon Stunting Disease (RSD), a systemic disease caused by Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli and widely known for its detrimental effect on crop yield. This was a consequence of the fact that sugarcane growers used commercial seedcane instead of healthy seedcane for new plantations. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of seedcane quality on yield components in LCP85-384 and CP65-357, two varieties widely spread in Tucumán. For each variety, two alternatives were tested: healthy seedcane (HS) from a nursery obtained by means of in vitro micropropagation and seedcane from a commercial plantation (CS). A randomized block design trial with six replicates was planted. Yield components evaluated in the plant-cane and first- and second-ratoon growing seasons included: stalk number, weight, height, diameter and cane yield/ha. These variables were studied by means of ANOVA and T-test for mean comparison. In both varieties and in different crops, the yield components most affected by seedcane quality were stalk height and weight. In CP65-357 and LCP85-384, the HS treatment produced taller and heavier stalks when compared to the CS treatment. Stalk diameter was not affected by seedcane quality. Considerable cane yield decrease was detected using CS (10-25% for CP65-357 and 19-25% for LCP85-384) in different crop planting cycles. These results support healthy nursery technology, established since 2000 by EEAOC and widely used by sugarcane growers in Tucumán.

Keywords : Micropropagation; Healthy seed; Ratoon Stunting Disease; Yield decrease.

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