Assessment of new soft cane varieties : final report 2015/081

Abstract

The project objectives were to: experimentally determine whether extraneous matter affects the fibre quality parameters measured by SRA; experimentally determine whether the commercial cane preparation process affects the fibre quality parameters measured by SRA; experimentally compare the handle-ability properties of SRA1 andQC04-1411 to the major variety in the central and southern regions - Q208. In 2016, three new cane varieties, SRA1, SRA4 and QC04-1411, were either released or were proposed for release into the Bundaberg and Mackay districts. According to the pre-release fibre quality measurements undertaken by Sugar Research Australia, all three varieties were classified as a soft cane. This report documents a series of experiments undertaken to better define soft canes and to measure the effect that these three varieties had on factory operation and performance.