Gina Martin – Philippine Sugar Research Foundation Inc. director general, David Alba – acting Sugar Regulatory Administrator and Terence Uygongco – PHILSURIN Foundation president (l-r) at the 68th Philippine Sugar Technologists annual convention in Bacolod City on Thursday, August 25.*
Suitable high yielding sugarcane varieties are a prime necessity for sustainability of the Philippine sugarcane industry, Gina Martin, Philippine Sugar Research Foundation Inc. (PHILSURIN) director general, said Sunday, August 28.
PHILSURIN has developed better high yielding varieties that would help growers attain profit despite high production cost, Martin, former Sugar Regulatory Administrator, said.
She said PHILSURIN has released commercial varieties that could serve as replacement to the deteriorated and mixed varieties that are widely grown.
Yield results from the trials and commercial farms indicate that the recently released varieties out-yielded the widely grown varieties in several mill districts, she said.
One of the varieties that could adapt to varied growing conditions is PSR 03-171. It is recommended for the middle milling season, December to March, in eight mill districts, including La Carlota, Hawaiian-Philippines, Lopez and Victorias in Negros, Passi in Panay, Bogo Medellin in Cebu, Davao and Bukidnon, Martin pointed out.
Results from the Commercial Yield Trial confirmed the wide adaptability of this variety by out-yielding VMC 84-524. PSR 03-171 has an average sugar yield in seven locations of 182 LKg/Ha from plant crop and 190 LKg/Ha from ratoon crop. On the other hand, VMC 84-524 produced only 152 LKg/Ha in plant crop and 169 LKg/Ha 169 from ratoon, Martin said.
Another variety that PHILSURIN recommends is PSR 07-195. It out-yielded the widely grown VMC 524 in seven locations such as La Carlota City, Pontevedra, Manapla, Cadiz City, Isabela, Bago City and Kabankalan City in Negros Occidental. PSR 07-195 produced an average of 180LKg/Ha from plant crop, and 206 LKgHa from ratoon crop, she added.
The notable performances of the recommended varieties are attainable when coupled with good cultural management. Pure and healthy seeds can result to high germination, uniform and vigorous growth and consistent sweetness, Martin said.
PHILSURIN Certified Seeds or PCS is another program that aims at producing and distributing pure and clean seeds. With the present high cost to produce a bag of sugar, it makes sense to invest on better varieties and good seeds that could result to increased sugar production, she said.
The sugarcane industry of the Philippines is faced with many challenges brought about by the increased cost of fuel, labor and farm inputs, Martin said.
“Cane and sugar yields were down during the past two crop years caused by unfavorable weather patterns such as excessive rainfall even during the supposedly dry months. Sugarcane farmers are having a hard time coping with the difficult situation. The only way to survive is to produce more with less,” she said.
“A good crop needs a good seed,” Martin said.*