Evaluation of the Agro-technological and Health Characteristics of Sugar Cane Varieties (Saccharum officinarum L.) in Rainfall Conditions

Sugar cane Saccharum officinarum (Poaceae) is an important industrial crop in the Ivory Coast. Cane production involves two types of culture. The irrigated cultivation of sugar cane which is that practiced by industrialists and the cultivation in rainy conditions which is that of village producers The study aimed to improve agricultural productivity in village sugar cane plantations by selecting varieties adapted to rain conditions. The trials carried out at the CNRA research station in Ferké (north of the Ivory Coast) in experimental plots were arranged in complete randomized blocks with 7 varieties, including two controls, repeated 6 times. These experiments were carried out on two consecutive harvest cycles, a virgin and a regrowth, with cane yield, extractable sugar content and tolerance to bio-aggressors as the main selection criteria. The varieties Co 997, M 1176/77 and M 2238/89 were found to be significantly superior to controls R 570 and SP 711406. As for the variety KnH 80412, it appeared equivalent to the best control R 570. Among these 5 varieties tested under rainy conditions, the most productive was Co 997 with 60.5 t of cane / ha after 2 consecutive harvest cycles since the new plantation. These best varieties Co 997, M 1176/77 and M 2238/89 are drought tolerant and can therefore replace obsolete varieties that have become too sensitive to the major enemies of sugar cane in village cultivation in the Ferkessédougou region.