Leaf sodium content of sugarcane genetic stocks at grand growth period and its association with other nutrients and cane and sugar yield

Thirty genetic stocks of sugarcane were analysed for sodium content. Differences in leaf sodium content among clones as well as stages and their interaction were significant. The range of leaf sodium content was from 0.288% in Co 6806 to 0.430% in Co 975. Clones Co 6806, Co 7508, Co C 671, Co 7204, Co 7201, Co J 64, Co 617, Co 62174, Co 7717, Co 6304, Co A 7601 and Co 853 had low sodium content. Sodium content in leaf increased from 0.290 at the 4th month to 0.451 at the 7th month. Leaf sodium content had significant positive association with calcium, magnesium, chloride, sum of cations, sum of anions and negative association with nitrogen and yield of cane and sugar. However, leaf sodium concentration had no significant association with leaf phosphate, potassium, sulphate and silicon content at any of the stage.