Evaluation of the health and sugarcane seed production from the first ratoon cane at various harvest ages

Abstract

Increasing the productivity of sugarcane can be done by using healthy and pure seeds. This study aimed to evaluate the health and production of sugarcane seed from ratoon sugarcane derived from tissue culture. The study was conducted in 2017 using a split-plot design, as the main plots were varieties BL and PSJK922; as subplots, the age of seed cane harvest was 5, 6, 7, and 8 months, repeated three times. Bud set from each variety was planted in 5 rows with a length of 8 m. Varieties did not significantly affect all variables of plant growth and seed germination. Seed harvesting age at plant cane (PC) and first ratoon (RC1) affected sugarcane growth except for the number of productive tillers at plant cane. The longer the harvesting age of sugarcane seeds, the higher the attack of the shoot and stem borer. In addition, in plants with seeds originating from the first ratoon, no Ratoon Stunting Disease (RSD) was found. Therefore, the first ratoon cane can be used as a source of healthy sugarcane seeds and produce high seed quality following Indonesian national standards for sugarcane seed production if supported by good management.