'Saccharum officinarum'
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| General Information | Click image to view
| | Scientific Name | Saccharum officinarum | | Common Names | Sugarcane, Ampow, Ukhu, Ganiesi, Tebu, Menhet, Sau, Bos, Bus, Rosan,
Tiwu, Oy, Ikshu, Khanda, Sarkara, Pundia, Paunda, Cheruku, Poovan,
Karumbu, Patta patti kabbu, Karimbu, | | Species | Poaceae | | Genus | | | Synonyms | | | Genus | | | Description | A tall thick stemmed clumpy grass. It has many nodes. It grows 1-6 m
tall. It spreads 100 cm wide. A large number of different cultivars
occur. The leaves are long and narrow. They taper to the tip. They
are rigid and droop at the tip. The cane varies in thickness, length
of nodes, colour etc. The stalks have distinct nodes and the bottom
of the leaf is wrapped in a sheath around the stalk. The flower is
brownish. It is surrounded by dense silky white hairs. | | Notes | | | Related | | | Growth, Production and Use |
| | Related | Sap, Shoots, Flowers, | | Cultivation | Plants are mostly grown from tops of canes. They can be grown from
sections of the stalk or division of the root stock. It requires a
good fertility and good rainfall. Plants can be ratooned or cut back
if the soil fertility is high. Tall cultivars need staking. | | Growing | Sugarcane
Scientific name: Saccharum officinarum
Sugarcane.
Most scientists consider that Papua New Guinea is the original home
of sugarcane. It is one of the major centres in the world for
sugarcane varieties. Several hundred varieties have been collected
and used as the basis for the sugarcane crops in most countries of the
world.
Sugarcane in subsistence is one of the commonest and most widely used
of the food plants of Papua New Guinea.
The preferred varieties for chewing are normally very tall growing
(up to 5m) and thick (5-6cm across). These large canes are also
important in ceremonial exchanges.
The plant.
This coarse erect grass is a rapidly growing clump forming grass.
The leaves clasp the stem then bend out with leaf blades up to 1.3m
long and 10cm wide. At the top in many varieties a large open flower
is produced.
A very large number of varieties occur. These not only vary in their
height and thickness, but also in colour, length of internodes,
toughness of the stem and in many other ways. Many of the stripes and
colour patterns on the stems are just surface changes and sometimes
not really good guides to how different the canes really are.
There are also important variations between varieties in how
effectively they convert sunlight to sugar, some varieties are better
suited to different temperatures and others can produce in poorer
soils. Some can tolerate drought and withstand salty soils. This
means particular varieties are selected for different regions of the
country. Some varieties occur in most areas around the country while
other kinds are just localised in certain villages.
There are also important differences in disease and pest resistance
between varieties.
The large number of varieties has been able to develop because in the
tropics sugarcane can both flower and produce seed which will grow.
Growing sugarcane.
Within subsistence agriculture, by far the most common method of
planting sugarcane is to use the top of the cane. As buds quickly
develop and grow from the nodes of the cane, sections of the cane
could be used, but in gardens the canes are normally used for chewing
and the tops planted.
Plants can be ready in 9-10 months but often are left to grow for 2
years or longer.
Although in good soils plants can be cut back and allowed to regrow
many times, this is not normally used in Papua New Guinea.
Tall canes have supporting poles to which they are tied to prevent
them falling over and breaking.
Sugarcane can make very efficient use of sunlight and the wide
spacing used with intercropping in subsistence gardens probably helps
its growth.
Where is sugarcane grown?
Sugarcane grows in most areas of Papua New Guinea. Sugarcane grown
in the highlands grows more slowly but is sweeter. Therefore sugarcane
is a more important part of gardening and of the diet at altitudes
over 1000m. In many
highland gardens sweet potato and sugarcane are the two main crops
grown.
For most rapid growth sugarcane needs a temperature between 32o -
38oC. These conditions occur on the coast. The average temperature
for sugarcane needs to be about 21oC.
For sugarcane to become sweet and store lots of sugarcane it needs to
have a check to its growth. This can be provided by cool temperatures
or by drought. That is why commercial sugarcane is being established
in the Markhum Valley where there is a seasonal dry period.
Varieties differ in how they respond to drought. Some can reduce
water loss while others let leaves dry off and die then reestablish
new leaves quickly when it rains again.
Pests and diesease.
Many different diseases, insects and other pests like rats have been
recorded damaging sugarcane in Papua New Guinea. Often the same
diseases and insects also damage other grasses similar to sugarcane
and damage coastal pitpit. | | Production | Plants mostly take 14-18 months until they are ready for harvest. | | Use | The stems are chewed.
The flowers can be cooked and eaten before the flower opens. | | Distribution | It is a tropical plant. It occurs throughout the country of Papua New
Guinea. It needs a temperature over 21°C for sprouting. It is frost
sensitive. In Nepal it grows up to about 1400 m altitude. It suits
hardiness zones 9-12. | | Pests and Diseases | | Insects | Borers
Chilo terrenellus Pag.
Chilotraea terrenellus
Maliarpha separatella Rag.
Ostrinia furnikcalis
Rhabdoscelis obscurus (Boisd.)
Sesamia grisescens Wal.
Sesamia arfaki B-B.
Sap suckers
Aleurodes comata
Aphis sacchari
Oregma lanigera Zeh.
Longiunguis sacchari (Zeh.)
Neomaskiella bergii (Sig.)
Perkinsiella spp.
Saccharicoccus sacchari (Cock)
Tettigella sp.;
Leaf eating insects
Anomala comata
Aracerus sp.
Araeocorynus sp
Arrhenes dschilus
Brontispa lateralis
Cirphus unipuncta
Euryphlepsia sp.
Hypolixus ritsemae Pasc.
Lophops saccharicida K.
Melanitis constantia Cr.
Opogona spp.
Phragmatiphila truncata
Grasshoppers
Atractomorpha crenaticeps Bl.
Austracris sp.
Locusta migratoria (L)
Heteropternis obscurella (Bl.)
Stenacatantops angustifrens (Walk.)
Valanga irregularis (Walk.) | | Pests | Rats | | Diseases | Redrot leaf sheath Fungus Athelia rolfsii
Brown stripe Fungus Bipolaris stenospila
Eye spot Fungus Bipolaris sacchari
Yellow spot Fungus Cercospora koepkei Kruger
Brown spot Fungus Cercospora longipes
Red leaf streak Fungus Cercosporella sp.
Pineapple disease Ceratocystis paradoxa (Dade) Moreau
Veneer blotch fungus Deightoniella papuana D Shaw
Pokkah boeng Fungus Gibberella fujikuroi
Red rot fungus Glomerella tucumanensis (Speg)Arx & Mull
Ring spot Fungus Leptosphaeria sacchari
Yellow spot Fungus Mycovellosiella koepkei
Downy mildew Fungus Peronosclerospora sacchari
Rind disease Fungus Phaeocytostroma sacchari
Tar spot Fungus Phyllachora sacchari
Rust fungus Puccinia kuehnii (Kruger)Butler
Red leaf streak Fungus Ramulispora sacchari
Leaf scorch Fungus Stagnospora sacchari
Ramu stunt
Red stripe Bacteria Pseudomonas rubrilineans
Fiji disease Virus Sugarcane Fiji disease virus
Mosaic Virus | | Plant References | | Authority | | | Location | |
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