Impact of borers incidence on yield and quality parameters in Sugarcane (Saccharum spp. Hybrid)

The present study was conducted for two years during spring seasons of 2013–15 to assess the incidence of borers complex (early shoot borer, top borer & stalk borer) and its influence on cane yield and quality traits of 21 elite sugarcane clones and 3 standards. Data were recorded for 3 cane yield parameters viz. cane yield, number of millable canes and cane length along with sugar yield and quality traits namely brix (%), sucrose content (%) and purity (%) in juice at harvest (12 months). Mean incidence of early shoot borer (ESB), top borer (TB) and stalk borer (SB) was recorded that ranged from 4.8–10.0, 6.1–10.7 and 0.01–0.12% over years among clones. Association among cane yield components, quality traits and incidence of borer complex revealed that cane yield and sugar yield were negative and significantly correlated with incidence of all the three borers. All the three quality parameters sucrose (−0.153), purity (−0.197) and CCS % (−0.174) were significantly affected by the incidence of stalk borer while no negative effect of ESB and TB was observed on these traits. Therefore, management strategies should be opted differentially to get better sugar and cane yields in sugarcane.