Periodic Flooding and Water Table Effects on Two Sugarcane Genotypes

Abstract

et al., 1998). Some EAA fields had as much as 300 cm of soil above the limestone bedrock when they were Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) in Florida is increasingly exposed to first drained and used for agriculture. Depth of soil to periodic floods and high water tables for extended durations. We bedrock varies, but a small number of sugarcane fields evaluated the effects of periodic flooding, followed by drainage, on morphological characteristics and cane and sugar yields of two sugar-now have less than 40 cm of soil (Shih et al., 1998). cane genotypes. From 2000-2002, experiments were conducted in Second, for every centimeter of rainfall, the water in lysimeters filled with Pahokee muck soil. Flooding was imposed for the soil profile of EAA Histosols rises about 10 cm 7 d during five, nine, and nine 21-d cycles in 2000, 2001, and 2002, (Glaz et al., 2002). Finally, there are regulated and volrespectively. Cycles commenced when sugarcane leaves covered the untary limits on pumping from farm ditches to public rows and were discontinued in mid-October. Water table depths durcanals as a means of reducing P discharge to the natuing the 14-d drainage period of each cycle were 16, 33, or 50 cm. A ral Everglades. fourth treatment was maintained continuously at a 50-cm water table The issues of soil subsidence and P discharge also depth. Genotype CP 95-1429 yields were not affected by water table provide incentives to maintain yields under high water or flooding. For CP 95-1376 in periodic-flooding treatments, lowering tables and periodic flooding. The primary cause of subsithe water table in 1-cm increments increased cane and sugar yields by 0.16 and 0.02 kg m Ϫ2 , respectively, in 2000 and 0.25 and 0.03 kg dence in the EAA is microbial oxidation (Tate, 1980). m Ϫ2 , respectively, in 2001. Water table depth during drainage did not The factor that most influences the rate of microbial affect CP 95-1376 yields in 2002, perhaps because of a longer duration oxidation is depth of water table in the soil profile. between planting and initial flooding in 2002. Each day of flooding Therefore, the rates of oxidation and subsidence are reduced cane and sugar yields of CP 95-1376 by 0.17 and 0.02 kg m Ϫ2 , directly proportional to the depth of the water table. respectively, in 2000 and by 0.21 and 0.03 kg m Ϫ2 , respectively, in Halving the distance between the water table and the 2002. Flooding might not have reduced yields of CP 95-1429 becausesoil surface has been shown to halve the rate of subsiof its ability to form aerenchyma in the stalks before exposure to dence (Snyder et al., 1978).flooding. Such genotypes should be able to tolerate flooding for at

A flood-free period combined with early planting is required to sustain yield of pre-rice sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolorL. Moench)

“…Therefore, in sweet sorghum, sucrose synthesis and the ability to transport sucrose to sink may not be affected by flooding conditions. A similar response has also been reported in sugarcane (Hasan et al, 2003;Glaz et al, 2004;Glaz & Gilbert, 2006) and sweet sorghum under drought stress (Massacci et al, 1996) indicating that sucrose synthesis and transportation are not affected by stress. The consistent higher juice quality of Wray may also be explained by its ability to form significantly higher aerenchyma in plants' axes or lateral roots as well as ability to develop roots in water.…”

“…The internal portion of axes, soil-covered stem and 3rd node of the stalk above water level of each plant were visually scored for relative size of pithy area with aerenchyma formation according to Glaz et al (2004). Briefly, the ratings of pithy area with A flood-free period of sweet sorghum 347 aerenchyma formation ranged from 0 for none to 5 for an area that was equal to about 70% of the stalk diameter.…”

“…The ability of plants to produce adventitious roots and nodal roots and aerenchyma formation in roots are important characters for flooding-tolerant crops (Orchard & Jessop, 1985;McDonald et al, 2001McDonald et al, , 2002Zaidi et al, 2003Zaidi et al, , 2004Matsuura et al, 2005;Mano et al, 2006;Henshaw et al, 2007;Kubo et al, 2007). Glaz et al (2004) also reported aerenchyma formation in stalks that supports internal gas spaces resulting in enhanced cane yield and sucrose yield in sugarcane.…”

Changes in photosynthesis, growth, and sugar content of commercial sugarcane cultivars and Erianthus under flood conditions

“…Flooding also decreased stem weight on 90 DAT, which is consistent with a previous finding that water logging over 15-60 d at the grand growth phase decreased yield by approximately 5-30% because of the lack of nutrition and water uptake (Gomathi et al, 2014), while 3 mo of flooding decreased the yield by 18-37% in plant cane and 61-63% in a second ratoon (Gilbert et al, 2008). However, growth and yield loss may depend on the tolerance of the cultivar, as it has been shown that there is loss in yield in CP 95-1376 but not in CP 95-1429 (Glaz et al, 2004b), whereas high water table had no effect on yields of CP 72-2086 and CP 82-1172 but adversely affected CP 80-1743, resulting in a decrease in yield by 25.1% (Glaz et al, 2002). Thus, plants may require more time to recover their root system and growth.…”

Stress Physiology: Abiotic Stresses

“…Glaz et al (2004a) studied the effect of 7-day episodes of flooding with target drained flood water tables from 16-50 cm BSS for 2 weeks with each treatment repeating five to nine cycles in each crop year for up to second ratoon. Results indicated that two cultivars tested had no yield loss with periodic flooding or changing level of the water table.…”