Screening for Tolerance to Saturated Soil Conditions for Cane Grown for Sugar and Biofuels Production

摘要

Louisiana sugar cane (Saccharum spp.) is often produced on heavy-textured soils which offer less than ideal conditions for growth and function of the root system especially with frequent and heavy rains common to the sugar cane growing area of South Louisiana. These fields rely on gravitational drainage and often remain saturated for extended periods during the growing and harvest season. Field research in Florida showed that growing sugar cane on soil with a high water table, which is similar to water-saturated soil conditions, resulted in a 25% yield loss. The considerable variability in yields among commercial varieties grown on high water table soils suggested that germplasm screening of promising sugar cane genotypes could result in varieties that maintain high yields when grown on saturated soils (Glaz et al, 2002).