UDPG - Sucrose phosphate synthetase (SPS) and acid and neutral invertases were assayed at different stages of growth in high and low sugar varieties. Significant genotypic variability was observed in UDPG- SPS and acid invertase activity even at germination stage. The high sugar varieties viz., CoS 687 and CoS 8436 having low biomass production potential showed higher SPS activity, whereas the low sugar varieties (CoS 8118 and CoS 8315) with high biomass production potential had higher acid invertase activity. Neutral invertase activity was relatively very low and changed little until grand growth. Subsequently it increased rapidly with the commencement of ripening. High SPS and low acid invertase activity, even at early stages of sugarcane growth may prove as an useful index for the prediction of sucrose accumulation potential of sugarcane cultivars.
