Post-harvest Quality Profile of Some Promising Sugarcane Cultivars Under Sub-tropical Conditions

Abstract

An experiment was conducted (in 2016–2017 and 2017–2018) to evaluate the post-harvest quality deterioration and to identify cultivars possessing better juice quality during long harvest-to-crush periods. Five promising/commonly cultivated sugarcane cultivars, CoSe 08452, CoS 08276, CoS 08279, CoS 08272 and Co 0238, in sub-tropical regions of India during periods of low and high temperature were selected. Stalks were harvested from November to April and were kept in bundles in different conditions (treatments)—in an open field condition (T1) and sprinkled with water and covered with a thick layer of sugarcane trash (T2). Cane quality parameters (weight loss, sucrose percentage, reducing sugars and dextran) were assessed in both T1 and T2 until 240 h after harvest. Some cultivars appeared to be somewhat more resistant to loss in moisture and sucrose percent during this period, while others seemed to be more susceptible to deterioration and showed the highest loss during April. However, the deterioration was markedly higher in T1 as compared to T2 in all the cultivars. This study suggests that the preparation of post-harvest quality deterioration profiles of promising elite cultivars may be helpful in harvesting schedule to the benefit of growers and millers.