The project involves the evaluation of elite sugarcane clones in the various sugar mills located in different zones of the country

ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, and the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), New Delhi signed an MoU and launched a project in the Institute premises, for the identification of location-specific & climate- resilient varieties with high yield & quality potential for both tropical and sub-tropical regions of the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Aditya Jhunjhunwala, President of ISMA said that the project, to be implemented with a financial outlay of Rs.7.5 crores, will help in identifying varieties with better yields that would benefit the farmers. Mentioning that investment in R&D in the sugarcane sector is very minimal in the country, he felt that this and similar projects would help the Indian sugar industry in meeting the sugar and energy needs of the country.

Delivering the Presidential address, Dr. G.Hemaprabha, Director, ICAR-SBI said that it is for the first time a project of this magnitude is being taken up by the Institute with the support of ISMA. The project involves the evaluation of elite sugarcane clones in the various sugar mills located in different zones of the country with the objective to achieve a cane yield of 100 tonnes/ha and a sugar recovery of about 11.5 per cent. The evaluation trials in the identified sugar factories will be conducted for five-six years wherein 40-50 superior clones will be tested for their yield and quality potential, she added.

Over 150 scientists and staff of ICAR-SBI participated in the MoU exchange ceremony.