Elite sugarcane varieties being planted in Negros

VICTORIAS, Negros Occidental – Elite sugarcane varieties from four Asian countries are now going through field trial planting here.

The varieties from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Bangladesh has earlier undergone quarantine planting in two places in the country.

They were initially grown in a quarantine glasshouse at the UP Los Baños-Institute of Plant Breeding (UPLB-IPB) in Los Baños, Laguna.

Subsequently, they were subjected to open quarantine planting in three batches (November 2002, June 2003, and July 2003) in San Lorenzo, Guimaras, to evaluate their yield performance and suitability to Philippine conditions. The varieties showed satisfactory growth and tillering.

The trials in Guimaras were the last stage of quarantine before the varieties were released for planting in various locations in the country.

Initially, the certified disease-free sugarcane varieties have been planted at the PHILSURIN (Philippine Sugar Research Institute, Foundation, Inc.) research station within the Victorias Milling Company (VMC) Complex in Victorias.

PHILSURIN, headed by Director General Leon Arceo, is a private entity established in 1995 through the initiative of the National Council of sugar producers to promote the advancement of the country’s sugar industry.

The varieties will also be planted in selected places in Luzon and Mindanao to determine their suitability under Philippine conditions, said Dr. Fe de la Cueva of UPLB-IPB, project leader.

The experimental and field trials form part of the Sugarcane variety improvement in South East Asia project funded by the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) of the United Nations. Under the project, the exchanged varieties can either be used as breeding materials or released as new varieties after a thorough field evaluation.

UPLB-IPB, headed by Director Desiree Hautea, is responsible for the quarantine, disease detection, and diagnosis of the introduced varieties.

With PHILSURIN as its executing agency, the project aims to increase productivity and help long-term competitiveness of sugarcane in Southeat Asia through the development, dissemination, and adoption of high-yielding, pest-resistant, and ecologically adapted sugarcane varieties. – Rudy A. Fernandez