Varieties for modernVarieties for modernVarieties for modern sugarcane productionVarieties for modern

sugarcane productiongg

Duncan Butler

Synopsis1 Case studies:

Southern Africa Swaziland (RSSC) and South Africa (Tsb)

Papua New Guinea Ramu Sugar (RAIL)

2 Other considerations:

Changing needs

F t d l t Future developments

Part 1Part 1Part 1Southern Africa

Part 1Southern Africa

Case study 1: South Africa and Swaziland

TSB, South AfricaRSSC, Swaziland

Common featuresEnvironment

700 to 800 mm rain 700 to 800 mm rain Net irrigation requirement 1000 mm Potential yield 140 tc/ha/annum Predominant soil type Predominant soil type Pest and disease threats

Tsb Mill t K ti t d M l l Mills at Komatipoort and Malelane 1.2 million tons MCP cane

RSSCRSSC Mills at Simunye and Mhlume 1.8 million tons MCP cane

Same source of varieties - SASRI

DifferencesRegulation

Tsb – South African Sugar Association (SASA) RSSC – Swaziland Sugar Association (SSA)

SASA South African Sugar Research Institute (SASRI) South African Sugar Research Institute (SASRI) Plant breeding programme (N varieties) Variety selection and testing, pre and post release

SSA Varieties imported from SASRI £900 per ton of seed for post 2000 releases Second tier of post release testingSecond tier of post release testing

Differences in variety adoptionVariety released in South Africa

Variety imported to Swaziland, small quantity

V i t b lk d f li t d t i l

Bulked in Tsb nurseries

Variety bulked for replicated trials

Replicated trial programme commencesnurseries p p g

Replicated trial programme continues for 5Commercial

observationup to 5 ratoons

Seed material bulked at central nursery

Commercial adoption

Clean seed supplied to estates (including RSSC)p )

Commercial observation

Commercial adoption

Variety selection trials

Variety selection – common goalsPest and disease resistance/tolerance:

Smut Sugarcane Mosaic Virus

Production traitsS Sucrose content, seasonal

Cane yield, transport costs Milling qualities, ‘processability’ - pith:fiber ratio and g q , p y p

colour

Growth traits Adaptability Tolerance of adverse soil conditions Note that suitability to mechanical harvesting notNote that suitability to mechanical harvesting not

considered important

Ideally no more than 25 % of a single varietyIdeally no more than 25 % of a single variety

Smut

Mosaic

Variety traits

Variety NCo376 N14 N19 N23 N25 N32 N36 N40 N41 N46 N49

Year ofYear of release 1955 1980 1986 1992 1994 1997 2000 2002 2002 2005 2008

Smut Sus* Int Res Int Int Sus Int Res Int Int Res

Mosaic Sus** Int Sus Int Int Sus Int Res Int Res Res

RSD Sus Sus** Sus Int Sus** Sus Int Int SusRSD Sus Sus Sus Int Sus Sus Int Int Sus

Salinity tolerance Good Mod Good Mod Mod Mod Poor Poor

Early Season Mid late Mid late Early mid Early mid Mid late Early mid Early mid Early Early Late

a ymid

Milling qualities Poor Mod Good Good Good Good Mod

NCo376 and N32 unavailable in South African irrigated areas

Incremental plant improvement

T RV/ha as % NCo376 N14 N19 N23 N25 N32 N36 N40

N25 110 108 109 XN25 110 108 109 X

N32 103 110 X

N36 107 X

N40 110 114 110 XN40 110 114 110 X

N41 114 102

N46 112 101

N49 103 105 105

From SASRI variety information sheets

RSSC variety disposition

100%

N19

Others

80%

90%

100%

N25

N2360%

70%

N25

30%

40%

50%

NCo376

10%

20%

30%

0%1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Others under test include: N24, N26, N28, N30, N36

Smut RoguingSSA Smut RegulationsInspection No. Smut % Decision

1 >15 Immediate plough out order1 >15 Immediate plough out order1 5 to 15 Plough out decision deferred to next inspection2 >10 Immediate plough out order2 >5 Plough out deferred to next season2 >5 Plough out deferred to next season

1, following year >5 Immediate plough out order

RSSC future variety disposition

Oth100%

N19

Others

80%

90%

N25

N2360%

70%

N25

30%

40%

50%

NCo376

10%

20%

30%

0%

10%

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2012

Others : mainly N36

Tsb variety disposition

100%

N14

Others

80%

90%

100%

N23

N1960%

70%

80%

N25

3

40%

50%

N25

20%

30%

N36N320%

10%

2004 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Others include: N40, N41, N46, N49

N25 plough out order at Tsb

Tsb future variety disposition

Others100%

N14

Others

80%

N23N19

60%

N2540%

N36N32

0%

20%

0%2004 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2015

Others include: N40, N41, N46, N49

Objectives of Tsb variety plan

I d ti f b 0 43 t Increase production performance by 0.43 t RV/ha

Maintain total variety disposition below 20% per variety - reduce P&D risk

Reduce tonnage by 38 000 t (reduce transport costs)p )

Improved mill efficiencies & throughput None of this would be possible without the None of this would be possible without the

availability of new varieties

Why the difference?

South Africa: Supply of new varieties SASRI plant breedingSupply of new varieties, SASRI plant breeding Ready to embrace new varieties Ready to degazette – NCo376 (1983) and N32 (2010) Quick to benefit from incremental plant improvement

Swaziland: S l f i ti t i t d b t l t b d Supply of varieties restricted by cost, plant breeders

rights Conservative approach – extra evaluation and time NCo376 still available, ‘easy option’ but regulated Smut infection pressure on newer varieties Delayed benefit from incremental plant improvementDelayed benefit from incremental plant improvement 8 % yield penalty at RSSC Does this have to be the case?

Variety selection trials sites

Two soil types represented at Pongola and Ubomboyp p g

REML (Restricted Maximum Likelihood))

Tonga - SAMhlume - Swazi Ubombo - Swazi Pongola SASRI

Komatidraai - SA Komati SASRI

Si S i

Mhlati - SA Ubombo S - Swazi

M lk S i

Group 5Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4

Simunye - Swazi Pongola P - SA

Malkerns - Swazi

Differences in variety adoptionVariety released in South Africa

Variety imported to Swaziland, small quantity

V i t b lk d f li t d t i l

Bulked in Tsb nurseries

Variety bulked for replicated trials

Replicated trial programme commencesnurseries p p g

Replicated trial programme continues for 5Commercial

observationup to 5 ratoons

Seed material bulked at central nursery

Commercial adoption

Clean seed supplied to estates (including RSSC)p )

Commercial observation

Commercial adoption

Part 2Part 2Part 2Papua New Guinea

Part 2Papua New Guinea

Case study 2: Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea

Ramu Agri Industries Limited (RAIL)

Ramu Sugar – project features

EnvironmentEnvironment 10400 ha Rainfed project - 2,000 mm/yearRainfed project 2,000 mm/year Mean cane yield - 65 to 70 tc/ha

Pest and disease Papua New Guinea - origin of wild cane Significant pest and disease threats expected Some previously unknown diseases Some previously unknown diseases Resistant varieties a central component of pest and disease

control

Ramu Sugar – diseases

Common Name Causal Agent Activity Economic Importance Control Methods

Ramu Stunt Phytoplasma Systemic Very significant Resistant varieties

Downy Mildew Fungal Systemic Very significant Resistant varieties, chemical

Leaf Scald Bacterial Systemic Very significant Resistant varieties

Fiji disease Virus Systemic Very significant Resistant varieties

Ratoon Stunting Disease Bacterial Systemic Very significant Resistant varieties, HWT

Ramu Streak Unknown Leaf ns Unknown

Ramu Orange Leaf Fungal Leaf Unknown Roguing

Ramu Scorch Unknown Leaf ns Unknown

Brown Rust Fungal Leaf ns Resistant varieties

Orange Rust Fungal Leaf ns Resistant varieties

Golden Leaf Syndrome Unknown Systemic Emerging Unknown

No Smut

Ramu Stunt

Sesamia grisescens

Top shoot borer, Scirpophaga excerptalisp

Top shoot borer

Golden Leaf Syndrome

Ramu Sugar – variety history

Variety Resistant Intermediate Susceptible Expanded Phased out

Ragnar Leaf Scald, Fiji, Downy Mildew Ramu Stunt 1983 1986

Cadmus Leaf Scald, Ramu Stunt Downy Mildew Sesamia 1985 1995Cadmus Leaf Scald, Ramu Stunt Downy Mildew Sesamia 1985 1995

Cassius Downy Mildew, Ramu Stunt, Fiji Leaf Scald, Sesamia 1987 1992

Q107 Leaf Scald, Ramu Stunt Weevil Borer, White Grub 1987 1993

Q127 Leaf Scald, Ramu Stunt Top Shoot Borer, GLS 1992 2010

BT65152 Fiji, Ramu Stunt Rust 1993 2002

Q127 – high sucrose but unsuitable for mechanical harvesting

R570 Leaf Scald Ramu Stunt Top Shoot Borer, Herbicides 1998

Q127 high sucrose but unsuitable for mechanical harvesting

Swaziland variety disposition

100%

N19

Others

80%

90%

100%

N25

N2360%

70%

N25

30%

40%

50%

NCo376

10%

20%

30%

0%1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Ramu variety disposition

H56752Q77N557

Q90100%

Ragnar BT65152

Q135

Q107 Q117r

PN92 439

UCW5465

F177

CO997Q77N557

PN92-33980%

Ragnar

Q117Q198

Cassius

PN92-439

60%

Q136

Q127

R57040%

Cadmus

B72177

20%

0%

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Ramu stunt Sesamia Top shoot borer GLS

Ramu summary

Variety choice driven by pest and disease issuesy y p Balanced with productivity and growth traits Average ‘life’ of a variety is 10 years Constant supply of new candidates Own breeding programme, PN varieties Ability to change variety rapidly and maintain a broad Ability to change variety rapidly and maintain a broad

spread of varieties has been essential to the project’s survival

F t li Future policy: In house breeding programme … ? Reaction to latest threat – Golden Leaf Syndrome?y Top shoot borer – solution may not be varietal but linked to

Sesamia control Essential to maintain supply of new varietiespp y

Conclusions - case studies

Forward thinking and uninterrupted supply of new varieties is essential for long term success of projectsessential for long term success of projects

Pest and disease as well as productivity and growth traits should be considered

Important to maintain balanced variety disposition with no more Important to maintain balanced variety disposition with no more than 25 % of a single variety

Need a constant supply of varieties to achieve this Static variety policy is undesirable – must take advantage of

continuous plant improvement Must overcome regulatory bottlenecks in industries that do not have g y

their own plant breeding programme. Relevance? New and existing projects. New projects: variety sourcing an important aspect of planningNew projects: variety sourcing an important aspect of planning Existing projects: use new varieties to improve production while

minimising risk; avoid stagnation

Part 3Part 3Part 3Other Considerations

Part 3Other Considerations

Other considerations

Changing needs M h i ti Mechanisation Ethanol and biomass

Future developmentsp Energy canes Biotechnologygy Other end uses for sugarcane

Mechanisation Mechanical harvesting Existing projects, changing from manual harvestingExisting projects, changing from manual harvesting New projects, designed for mechanical harvesting Non-brittle varieties with erect growth habit C t l f h t l d hi d ti it Control of harvest losses and machine productivity Productivity and pest and disease management

Examples Peru – re-emerging industry, limited availability of

varieties from existing industry Mex 73-523varieties from existing industry, Mex 73 523 Colombia – emphasis of plant breeding programme

on machine harvesting qualities Sudan >80 % Co6806 but 100 % mechanical Sudan - >80 % Co6806 but 100 % mechanical

harvesting Australia – Q170 and Q124

Mex 73-523, Peru CC 93-744, Colombia

Q124

Q170

Future developments Requirements Need for varieties with different end use Breeding to date focussed on sucrose

production Concept of ‘Total Energy in Cane’ – sum ofConcept of Total Energy in Cane sum of

energy recovered in cogeneration, ethanol and sugar – West Indies and Reunion

Meeting requirements Alter management of existing varietiesAlter management of existing varieties Biotechnology to accelerate plant improvement Genetic markers (smut, rust, yellow spot)( y p ) DNA fingerprinting GM? Drought tolerance (Brazil), herbicide

resistance (South Africa)resistance (South Africa) Market acceptance??

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Parasitism of Top Shoot Borer

Ratoon Stunting Disease

Eumetopina flavipes, insect vector of Ramu Stunt

Downy Mildew

Leaf Scald

Fiji Disease

Brown Rust