Five decades of productivity gains in the Louisiana sugar industry

Abstract

This study analyzed trends across five decades of productivity data from the Louisiana Sugar Industry, from 1969 to 2021, for sucrose content, cane yield, and sugar yield. Trends over the five decades were revealed using robust regression models, and the least square means allowed for decade‐wise comparisons of trends. Sucrose content increased 45%, from 80.9 ± 6.4 g kg−1 in the first (1969‐1979) to 116.7 ± 4.8 g kg−1 in the fifth (2010‐2021) decade, at 0.85 ± 0.06 g kg−1 per year. Cane yield increased slower (32.2%), from 57.7 ± 5.9 Mg ha −1 in the first to 76.3 ± 6.3 Mg ha−1 in the fifth decade, at 0.45 ± 0.07 Mg ha−1 per year. Sugar yield increased 93% from the first (4.6 ± Mg ha−1) to the fifth (8.9 ± 0.76 Mg ha−1) decade at 0.1 ± 0.01 Mg ha−1 per year. The gains were neither significant nor consistent when comparing successive decades, incremental rather than rapid, and maintained once achieved. Significant (p < 0.05) gains in all traits occurred only in the third decade (1990‐1999) with yearly increases of 1.15 ± 0.30 g kg−1 for sucrose content, 3.00 ± 0.27 Mg ha −1 for cane yield, and 0.35 ± 0.05 Mg ha−1 for sugar yield. Comparisons of trait means between successive decades found both significant (p < 0.05) and non‐significant (p > 0.05) differences, however, comparisons between non‐contiguous decades were all significant (p < 0.05). Variety development accounted for 60% of the progress with sucrose content contributing more (10% more) compared with cane yield. The Louisiana sugar industry has experienced substantial productivity gains in the last five decades thanks to a combination of factors with variety development being the most impactful.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

The release of ‘LCP 85‐384’ and its contribution to the Louisiana sugar industry

“…Yearly rate of gain for sucrose content (SC), cane yield (CY), and sugar yield (SY) evaluated across five decades (1969 -2021) of productivity data for the Louisiana Sugar Industry. Note: Rate of gain year-by-year within the five decades were found to be significant for each of CY, SC, and SY in only the decade between 1990 and 1999 when LCP 85-384 was released for production and the combine harvester was first adopted by growers (Blanchard et al, 2023). ***Significant at the 0.001 probability level.…”

“…Comparisons were performed within decades, between decades, and before and after the era of LCP 85-384 using robust and dynamic regression analyses approaches. Similar approaches as Schmitz et al (2020) were performed to evaluate the progress of the industry especially as it relates to the breeding effort (Taylor et al, 2022). The authors also compared the rate of productivity gains before and after the release of LCP 85-384 with a Chi-Square Likelihood Ratio Test to discern its effect and contribution to the industry (Taylor et al, 2022).…”

“…Similar approaches as Schmitz et al (2020) were performed to evaluate the progress of the industry especially as it relates to the breeding effort (Taylor et al, 2022). The authors also compared the rate of productivity gains before and after the release of LCP 85-384 with a Chi-Square Likelihood Ratio Test to discern its effect and contribution to the industry (Taylor et al, 2022). Continuous industry productivity is indicative of the contribution of LCP 85-384 as a parent long after its release and eventual decline.…”

“…Genetic contribution of LCP 85-384 Blanchard et al (2023) used industry data from 1969 to 2019 to describe the productivity rate of gain for sugar yield, cane yield, and sucrose content in the Louisiana sugar industry for the last five decades. The authors found the decade from 1990 through 1999 as having the only statistically significant rate of gain (Table 2).…”

“…released in 1993 (Blanchard et al, 2023). According to industry data and planting surveys collected by the LSU AgCenter, LCP 85-384 was widely adopted and planted on over 50% of the Louisiana production hectares by 1999, surpassing the previously leading cultivar, CP 70-321, in 1998 (Faw, 1998;Gravois, 1999).…”