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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Canal Point, Florida » Sugarcane Field Station » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #249034
Title: Sugarcane Variety Census: Florida 2008

Author
item RICE, RON - University Of Florida
item BAUCUM, LES - University Of Florida
item Glaz, Barry

Submitted to: Sugar Journal
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2009
Publication Date: 6/1/2009
Citation: Rice, R., Baucum, L., Glaz, B.S. 2009. Sugarcane Variety Census: Florida 2008. Sugar Journal. 72:6-12

Interpretive Summary: Florida sugarcane farmers produce about 25% of the sugar produced in the U.S., more than is produced in any other state. Their cultivars come from a recently discontinued private program of the United States Sugar Corporation in Clewiston, Florida and a public program at Canal Point, Florida. The public program is supported by the USDA-Agricultural Research Service, the University Of Florida Institute Of Food and Agricultural Sciences, and the Florida Sugar Cane League, Inc. This census reports total Florida sugarcane acreage, total acreage by cultivar for cultivars grown on more than 1% of Florida’s sugarcane acres, cultivar use on organic and sand soils, and cultivars planted in a fallow or continuous planting system. Official Florida sugarcane acreage is reported by the USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service, and the acreages estimated in this census are usually similar to the officially reported acreages. The information summarized in this census was supplied by growers and mill managers. In 2008, there were 388,131 acres of sugarcane grown in Florida. From 2007 to 2008, sugarcane acreage in Florida increased by 6474 acres. Cultivars from the public program (Canal Point or CP cultivars) comprised 95.0% of Florida’s total 2008 sugarcane acres for which varieties were specified. About 3.3% of the acreage was reported as having mixed varieties and it is expected that CP varieties were grown on a substantial portion of that acreage. Of the total acreage, 79.7% was on organic soil and 20.3% on sand soil. Of the planted sugarcane, 52.1% was planted in a fallow rotation and 47.9% was planted in a successive rotation. CP 89-2143, with 31.0% of the total acreage, was the leading cultivar in Florida, and CP 78-1628 (10.9% of the total acreage), the fourth most widely grown cultivar overall, was the most widely grown on sand soils with 32.6% of that acreage. CP 88-1762 (20.3% of the acreage) and CP 80-1743 (18.8% of the acreage) were the second and third place cultivars, respectively. The census quantifies cultivar use among Florida growers, and helps scientists plan experiments with the cultivars, planting systems, and soil types that best represent current industry operations.

Technical Abstract: The Florida sugarcane industry produces about 25% of all sugar produced in the U.S. Varieties originate from two sources, a private breeding and selection program of the United States Sugar Corporation in Clewiston, Florida and a public program at Canal Point, Florida supported by the USDA-Agricultural Research Service, the University of Florida-Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, and the Florida Sugar Cane League, Inc. The purpose of this article is to report the results of a 2008 survey of all Florida sugarcane growers requesting information on relative use among commercial sugarcane varieties, amount of sugarcane grown on organic and sand soils, and percentages of sugarcane planted in the regular and successive planting cycles. The information summarized in this census was supplied by growers and mill managers. Cultivars from the public program (Canal Point or CP cultivars) comprised 95.0% of Florida’s total 2008 sugarcane acres for which varieties were specified, and the remaining 5.0% was comprised of varieties from the private breeding program. About 3.3% of the acreage was reported as having mixed varieties and it is expected that CP varieties were grown on a substantial portion of that acreage. CP 89-2143 with 31.0%, CP 88-1762 with 20.3%, CP 80-1743 with 18.8%, and CP 78 1628 with 10.9% of the acreage were the four most widely grown varieties among Florida’s 388,131 sugarcane acres. Of these total acres, 79.7% were organic soils and 20.3% sand soils. Of the total planted acres, 52.1% were planted in the fallow planting system and 47.9% in the successive planting system.