Evaluation Of Chewing Type Sugarcane Germplasm In Relation To Morphology, Fibre Content And Juice Quality

ABSTRACT: An experiment was carried out at Regional Sugarcrop Research Station, Gazipur, Bangladesh to identify best quality chewing type sugarcane considering the morphological attributes, fibre content and juice quality using fifteen genotypes, like Piyashi, VMC 86-550, Kazla, Fulpur gandary, Misrimala, Q 69, Co 527, Co 208, Madhumala, Misridana, Senegal, Bonpara gandary, Bombay along with BSRI Akh 41 and BSRI Akh 42 as check. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Results revealed a great variation in morphology, fibre content and juice quality of different chewing cane genotypes. The tallest cane (2.90 m) was observed in Bombay which is identical to Fulpur gandery (2.68 m), Senegal (2.60 m), Misrimala (2.57 m) and check variety BSRI Akh 41 (2.53 m). The genotype Senegal exhibited maximum girth (3.50 cm) with highest single cane weight (1.98 kg), while, the genotype Co 527 showed minimum number of internode (15.33) but highest number (161×103 ha-1) of chewable cane. Contrary, the longest internode (16.93 cm) was found in Misridana genotype. Fibre content however, lower in Senegal (8.90%) and Bonpara gandary (9.24%) genotypes. Considering juice quality, the genotype Modhumala was outstanding as it contained the highest proportion of purity (86.87%), Brix (19.51%) and sucrose (12.67%) although reducing sugar was the highest (1.40%) in Kazla and check variety BSRI Akh 41. As the best quantitative and qualitative parameters are found in different genotypes, future research is suggested for breeding program to develop new varieties of chewing cane with desired chewing characteristics. 

Keywords: Chewing cane, morphology, juice quality