CPF-246 – A HOPE FOR CANE GROWERS & SUGAR INDUSTRY A medium maturing, high yielding, good ratooning and erect cane variety for Punjab SHAFIQ AHMAD Director, SRI, FAISALABAD by

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CPF-246 Import of Fuzz:Canal Point, U.S.A. (2001) Clone No.:S2002-US-637 Parentage:US x CP Testing: Preliminary, semi-final, medium & late final varietal trials for 4 years ( ) Maturity time:Medium LodgingNon-lodging Ratoonability:Very Good Adaptability:Whole Punjab

FeaturesS2002-US-637 (CPF-246) Average cane yield t/ha Average Commercial cane sugar % (CCS%) Average Sugar recovery (%)11.92 Average Sugar (t/ha)13.05 Days to maturity SALIENT CHARACTERS

YIELD PERFORMANCE OF CPF-246 V/S SPF-245 AT SUGARCANE RESEARCH INSTITUTE, FAISALABAD. YearsCane yield t/haDifference with SPF-245 Percent variation with SPF-245 CPF-246SPF Average

YIELD PERFORMANCE OF CPF-246 V/S SPF-234 AT SUGARCANE RESEARCH STATION, KHANPUR. YearsCane yield t/haDifference with SPF-234 Percent variation with SPF-234 CPF-246SPF Average

CANE YIELD PERFORMANCE OF CPF-246 WITH HSF-240 (OUT FIELD TRIALS AT FARMERS’ FIELD YearsNo. of sites Cane yield t/haDifference with HSF- 240 % varia- tion with HSF-240 CPF-246HSF Average

MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF CPF-246 VarietyGerminat- ion %age Tillers/ Plant Millable Canes (000/ha) Per cane weight (kg) CPF HSF

SUMMARY OF YIELD PERFORMANCE OF CPF-246 IN NUVYT ( ) YearLocat- ions Cane yield (t/ha) CPF-246 Local Check % increase over local check Average

SUGAR RECOVERY COMPARISON OF CPF-246 WITH SPF-245 AT SRI, FAISALABAD. YearSugar recovery (%)Difference with SPF-245 Percent variation over SPF-245 CPF-246SPF Average

SUGAR RECOVERY COMPARISON OF CPF-246 WITH HSF-240 AT FARMER’S FIELD. Year Loca- tions Sugar recovery (%)Difference with HSF- 240 Percent variation over HSF-240 CPF-246HSF Average

SUMMARY OF SUGAR RECOVERY (%) OF CPF-246 IN NUVYT ( ) YearLocationsCPF-246Local check % increase over local check Average

Neutral body quality analysis of NUVYT varieties Sr. #. VarietiesFaisalabadJhang CCS %Rec. CCS %CCS %Rec. CCS % 1.MCP MCP S2002-US S2000-CPSG S2000-CPSG LRK LRK S2002-US S2002-US GT CP-NIA CP-NIA HOTH HOTH HOTH CPD CPD CPD HSF-240 (STD.) SPSG

SUMMARY OF SUGAR RECOVERY (%) BY NEUTRAL BODY (NUVYT). LocationsCPF- 246 HSF- 240 SPSG- 26 Differe- nce with HSF-240 Differe- nce with SPSG- 26 Percent variation over HSF-240 Percent variation over SPSG-26 Sugarcane Research Institute, Faisalabad Shakarganj Research Institute, Jhang Average

SUGAR RECOVERY (%) OF CPF-246 IN COMPARISON WITH STANDARD VARIETY. LocationsCPF-246SPF-245Differenc e with SPF-245 % variation over SPF-245 Sugarcane Research Institute, Faisalabad Crescent Sugar Mills, Faisalabad Average

AGRONOMIC STUDIES 1.SEED RATE VarietiesS 1 (60000 DBS/ha) S 2 (75000 DBS/ha) S 3 (90000 DBS/ha) CPF b a95.67 b SPF d93.17 b84.33 c LSD FERTILIZER Varieties N P K ( ) Kg ha -1 N P K ( ) kg ha -1 N P K ( ) kg ha -1 CPF bc b a SPF d93.45 c b

VarietiesI 1 (10 irrigations) I 2 (13 irrigations) I 3 (16 irrigations) CPF c89.79 b a HSF d80.49 c a 3.IRRIGATION 4.RATOONABILITY YearCane yield (t/ha)Difference (t/ha) with SPF-245 Percent variation over SPF- 245 CPF-246SPF Average

DEVELOPMENT OF PACKAGE OF PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY Multifarious experiments with the proposed cultivar were conducted at Sugarcane Research Institute, Faisalabad, Sugarcane Research Station, Khanpur and at Farmer’s field during for development of package of production technology. Sr.#.ComponentQuantity 1.Seed rate75,000 DBS/ha 2.Seed treatment with fungicide Dipping of setts in Benlate / Topsin M 2 gram / liter water for minutes 3.Planting timeSpring Mid February AutumnMid September 4.Planting method 1.20 m (4ft) twin row strip planting (20 cm deep planting with light soil cover)

Sr.#ComponentQuantity 5.Weed control Atrazine kg/ha as pre-emergence after 1 st irrigation. 6.Fertilizer Progressive farmers: NPK kg/ha Common farmers: NPK kg/ha 7.No. of irrigations Spring:16 Autumn:20 8.Economy of irrigation water Skip method (Alternate furrow) (40 % water saving) 9.Harvesting time Spring (November) Autumn (Mid October) 10.Harvesting method 1 inch to 1.5 inch below the soil surface. Achieved yield t/ha Achievable yield t/ha

ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF CPF-246 OVER SPF-245 & HSF-240 LocationVarietyCane yield (t/ha) Sugar recovery (%) Sugar yield (t/ha) Difference (t/ha) over SPF-245 & HSF- 240 Increased value Rs. Over SPF-245 Sugarcane Research Institute, Faisalabad CPF-246 SPF ,35,600 Out field trialsCPF-246 HSF ,400 AverageCPF-246 SPF-245 HSF ,200 1,54,800 Rs. 60,000/- t

REACTION OF DIFFERENT DISEASES IN VARIETY CPF-246 AT S.R.I., FAISALABAD YearVarietiesReaction to diseases Red rotWhip smut Pokkah boeing Red Stripe RustMosaic Virus CPF-246 SPF-245 RRRR RRRR RRRR RRRR R MR R MR CPF-246 SPF-245 RRRR RRRR RRRR RRRR R MR R MR CPF-246 SPF-245 RRRR RRRR RRRR RRRR R MR R MR DISEASES & PESTS RESISTANCE STATUS A)

DISEASE DATA OF CPF-246 IN NUVYT ( ), NARC, ISLAMABAD. Name of varietiesWhip smut Red rot Sugarcane mosaic virus CPF-246HRRNIL HSF-240HRMRNIL HR= Highly resistant R=Resistant MR = Moderately resistant

BORER INFESTATION IN CPF-246 & SPF-245 YearCPF-246SPF-245 Dead heart %age Internode damage %age Dead Heart %age Inter-node damage %age Average ReactionRRRR Criteria for Resistance: : R, : MR, : MS, : S, Above 12.50: HS B)

SUMMARY OF YIELD PERFORMANCE AT ALL TESTING SITES. CharacteristicsFaisalabadZonal centersAverage% increase of CPF-246 over CPF-246SPF- 245 CPF- 246 HSF- 240 CPF- 246 SPF-245HSF- 240 SPF- 245 HSF- 240 Cane yield (t/ha) Sugar recovery (%) Sugar yield (t/ha) Additional income (Rs./ha) 1,35,

SUMMARY 1.The new variety CPF-246 is higher cane yielder with t/ha as compared with commercial varieties having cane yield as 100, 100 and 95 t/ha than SPF- 245, SPF-234 and HSF-240, respectively. These are cultivated over 75% of sugarcane area in Punjab. 2.It is a medium maturing variety and maintains good recovery through out the crushing season. 3.Although this strain attains very good height yet it does not lodge at all. 4.It has the potential to maintain yield and recovery due to its erectness and firm stand. 5.Most of the tillers produced mature into millable canes.

6.CPF-246 does not produce off-shoots and sprouts during the season so attains more height as it consumes inputs more efficiently and maintains its quality. 7.It is resistant to major pests and diseases. 8.CPF-246 can also survive under water stressed conditions. 9.The late maturing unapproved varieties SPF-238 and Co-1148 are being eliminated due to red rot, borer infestation and low recovery.

1.There is dire need to introduce medium maturity cultivar of sugarcane to prolong the crushing season of sugar mills. 2.The sugar mills demand that the varieties with low sugar recoveries and late maturing needs to be replaced with medium maturity and high sugar content. 3.Realizing the sugar mills demand a superb sugarcane variety CPF-246 has recently been developed at Sugarcane Research Institute, AARI, Faisalabad. This variety will certainly contribute to maximum cane yield and higher sugar recovery. Hence it is expected that it will pay a great role in stability of sugar price in the country. CONCLUSIONS

GLIMPSES OF CPF-246

CPF-246 AT PRIMARY GROWTH STAGE

CPF-246

Prepared by M.Safdar