DETERMINATION OF POST HARVEST DETERIORATION IN UPCOMING UGARCANE VARIETIES

Abstract

Two promising sugarcane varieties Q-88 and GT-7 were evaluated during the year 2006-2007 for post harvest deterioration. The weight of 10 canes 15.91, 15.42, 14.82, 13.85 and 12.97 kg, Brix content 21.02, 20.79, 20.42, 20.07 and 19.47%, fiber content 12.93, 13.06, 13.18, 13.33 and 13.50%, sugar recovery 10.48, 10.35, 10.11, 9.78 and 9,50%, and purity 84.06, 83.90, 83.78, 83.59 and 83.34% when harvested cane was left unprocessed for 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 days, respectively. Similarly, in varieties Q-88 and GT-7, weight of 10 canes was 13.90 and 15.29 kg, Brix 20.28 and 20.43%, fiber content 13.47 and 12.94%, sugar recovery 10.03 and 10.05% and purity 82.58 and 84.88%, respectively. The accumulated losses in Q-88 were 3.39, 6.84, 10.43 and 15.88% and in GT-7 3.08, 6.85, 12.94 and 18.47%; accumulated losses in sugar recoveries in Q-88 were 1.15, 2.97, 6.03 and 9.76% and in GT-7 1.24, 3.53, 6.68 and 9.35%, when harvested cane was left unprocessed for 2, 4, 6 and 8 days, respectively. Per day weight loss in Q-88 was 3.39, 3.45, 3.59 and 5.45% (avg. 3.97%) and in GT-7 per day weight loss was 3.08, 3.77, 6.08 and 5.53%, when harvested cane was left unprocessed for 2, 4, 6 and 8 days, respectively (avg. 4.61%). The daily loss in sugar recovery of Q-88 was 1.15, 2.97, 6.03 and 9.76% (avg. 2.44%) and in GT-7 daily loss was 1.24, 2.29, 3.15 and 2.67%, when harvested cane was left unprocessed for 2, 4, 6 and 8 days, respectively (avg. 2.34%). It was concluded that with each day delayed milling of harvested cane, the quantity and quality of cane and juice was adversely affected and delay in processing of cane upto 8th day resulted 15.88 and 18.47% loss in cane weight and 9.76 and 9.35% loss in sugar recovery in varieties Q-88 and GT-7, respectively. Variety GT-7 experienced greater weight loss with average daily weight loss of 4.61% than variety Q-88 (3.97%), while per day sugar recovery losses were not notably different in both the varieties i.e. 2.44% in Q-88 and 2.34% in GT-7.