EVALUATION OF CHINA AND BRAZILIAN SUGARCANE CLONES PERFORMANCE IN SEMI-ARID CONDITIONS OF FAISALABAD, PAKISTAN

We evaluated 14 sugarcane clones imported from China and Brazil under semi-arid conditions of Pakistan in adaptability trials conducted at the Sugarcane Research Institute, Faisalabad, and compared with control clones HSF-240 and CPF-253. The studies were carried out in 2023-24 season following a randomized complete block design with three replications. Six biometric traits, along with resistance to major disease (red rot) were assessed. The comparative performance of all clones was analyzed using two-sided Dunnett’s Multiple Comparisons. The results revealed that certain clones, such as ZHONGZHE-6 and RB-867515 produced superior cane yield compared to control clones, while others showed poor adaptability to the local environment. Disease resistance screening indicated that some clones were resistant to red rot, whereas others were susceptible. However, despite higher cane yield, the sugar recovery percentage of most exotic clones was lower than local check varieties. Further multi-location trials are recommended to evaluate their stability, adaptability, and potential inclusion in the sugarcane variety development program.