Characterization of natural environments for sugarcane flowering ability
| MSI03P3914 | |
| Nayamuth, R. Mangar, M. Soopaya, R. | |
| Characterization of natural environments for sugarcane flowering ability | |
| Lalouette, J. A., Bachraz, D. Y., Bheenick, K. J. (eds), Proceedings Sixth Meeting of Agricultural Scientists, Boname Hall, MSIRI, Réduit, Mauritius, 8-9 May 2003. Réduit: Food and Agricultural Research Council. 340 p. | |
| book chapter | |
| 2004 | |
| p. 179-205 | |
| En | |
| En | |
| Sugarcane flowers naturally in Mauritius but the number of clones and flowering intensity vary between sites and years. The production of inflorescences, especially in the best varieties and elite clones has to be ensured for a successful plant improvement programme. While traditional breeding plots have been the major source of inflorescences for sugarcane breeding since the inception of the programme, a lack of inflorescences, particularly in the shy flowering clones has cropped up during the past recent years as a result of erratic flowering. Before embarking on the adoption of artificial induction, which is the case in many sugarcane breeding countries, natural environments were screened for their flowering ability. Flowering was followed in 21 trials planted at sites widely distributed over the island with the objective of identifying the one most favourable to this process and that could be adopted for planting new breeding plots. Characterization of the environments was based on an assessment of flowering intensity and the percentage of flowered varieties over three consecutive years. Flowering occurred at all sites but the percentage of flowered varieties and the flowering intensity differed widely between years for the same environment and between environments for the same year. The absence of weather extremes, namely lack of rainfall and occurrence of temperatures above 31o C during the very sensible induction/initiation phases in the South and East sectors were most conducive to flowering. The best site (Deux Bras 4099) was identified and a breeding plot established. A subsequent follow-up of flowering revealed that certain varieties flowered at this site only and not in the traditional breeding plots, confirming its higher potential for sugarcane flowering compared to those where traditional breeding plots are located. | |
| Sugarcane varieties Flowering Plant physiology Inflorescences Floral initiation crossing weather conditions | |
| Mauritius | |
| Sugarcane: Physiology | |
| Physiology and development | |
| 2003-05-09 | |
| En | |
| MSIRI | |
| LIB | |
| cat | |
| Phys |