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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Canal Point, Florida » Sugarcane Field Station » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #269714
Title: Sugarcane Variety Census: Florida 2010

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: 8/15/2011
Publication Date: 9/1/2011
Citation: Rice, R., Baucum, L., Glaz, B.S. 2011. Sugarcane Variety Census: Florida 2010. Sugar Journal. 74(2):13-19.

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 comprised 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 mill managers. In 2010, there were 389,616 acres of sugarcane grown in Florida. From 2009 to 2010, sugarcane acreage in Florida increased by 2921 acres. Cultivars from the public program (Canal Point or Canal Point and Clewiston; CP or CPCL cultivars) comprised 89.5% of Florida’s total 2010 sugarcane acres. This calculation assumed that CP varieties were grown on all of the 4.9% of the acreage reported as having “mixed varieties.” Of the total acreage, 82.0% was on organic (muck) soil and 17.0% on sand soil. Of the planted sugarcane, 50.5% was planted in a fallow rotation and 49.5% was planted in a successive rotation. CP 88-1762, with 27.1% of the total acreage, was the leading cultivar in Florida, and CP 78-1628 (8.5% of the total acreage), the fourth most widely grown cultivar overall, was the most widely grown cultivar on sand soils with 23.2% of that acreage. CP 89-2143 (25.5% of the acreage) and CP 80-1743 (8.8% of the acreage) were the second and third place cultivars, respectively. Two varieties that reached 1% of the acreage for the first time this year were CP 89-2376 (1.1%) and CP 00-1101 (1.7%). 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 2010 survey of all Florida sugarcane acreage 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 mill managers. Cultivars from the public program (Canal Point; CP or CPCL cultivars) comprised 89.5% of Florida’s total 2010 sugarcane acres and 11.5% was comprised of varieties from the private breeding program. This calculation assumed that CP varieties were grown on all of the 4.9% of the acreage reported as having “mixed varieties.” CP 88-1762 with 27.1%, CP 89-2143 with 25.5%, CP 80-1743 with 8.8%, and CP 78 1628 with 8.5% of the acreage were the four most widely grown varieties among Florida’s 389,616 sugarcane acres. Of these total acres, 82.0% were organic soils and 18.0% sand soils. Of the total planted acres, 50.5% were planted in the fallow planting system and 49.5% in the successive planting system. Two varieties that reached 1% of the acreage for the first time this year were CP 89-2376 (1.1%) and CP 00-1101 (1.7%).