Agronomic performance evaluation of sugarcane varieties under Finchaa Sugar Estate agro-ecological conditions

Field experiment was conducted at Finchaa Sugar Estate, to evaluate and select sugarcane varieties with better agronomic performances under Finchaa agro-ecological condition. Eleven sugarcane varieties are  namely, :B58 230, N53 216, N52 219, M202/46, CP47/193, DB386/60, B59 250, COK 30, B60 163, CO 1148, BO 60349 and NCo334 (Check variety) were evaluated in completely randomized block design with three replications. Result indicated that sugarcane variety N53 216 produced significantly highest sugar yield of 1.7 and 1.8 tha-1 month-1 in Luvisol and Vertisol respectively, and it gave 25 to 28% yield advantage over the check variety NCo 334. The next best variety in sugar yield was BO 60349 (1.4 tha-1month-1) for Luvisol and B60 163 (1.5 tha-1month-1) for Vertisol and it was on par with B58 230 (1.4 tha-1month-1 for both Luvisol and Vertisol). Furthermore, except for sugarcane varieties B59 250 in both soil types and varieties N52 219, M202/46 and COK 30 in luvisol the rest were not significantly different from the check variety NCo 334. Thus, the sugarcane varieties N53 216, B58 230, BO 60349, B60 163, CP47/193, DB386/60, and CO 1148 in both soil; whereas N52 219, M202/46 and COK 30 only in luvisol selected to be verified further in large commercial fields at Finchaa Sugar Estate.   Key words: Luvisol, plant cane, ratoon, sugarcane, variety, vertisol.