Ratooning ablilty and Repeatability in Sugarcane

Sugarcane, one of the most important crops in tropical and sub-tropical countries, is the first major sugar crop worldwide. Sugarcane is an important cash crop, plays a crucial role in the economics of farmers and provides main stay to sugar industry. Ratooning ability in sugarcane is the ability to maintain yield as the number of ratoon crops increase. Ratooning ability is an important integral component of sugarcane production worldwide as it not only reduces cost of cultivation but also dispenses with the requirement of seed material and some cultural practices like preparation and preparatory irrigation. In addition it also results in early maturity of canes at least by one month and thus adds to the effective crushing period.(Shrivastava at el, 1992). This book offers the important of ratooning ability the relationship between Repeatability and Ratoon ability and genetic parameters Ratooning effects on qualitative and quantitative traits.