José David Palomeque1, Edison C Silva2, Oscar Núñez1, Edgar Sánchez1 and Fabricio Martínez2
1Sociedad Agrícola e Industrial San Carlos (San Carlos Mill), Ecuador; jpalomeque@isc.com.ec
2Sugar Cane Research Center of Ecuador (CINCAE), Ecuador
The Sugarcane Research Center of Ecuador (CINCAE) began its activities in 1997 and released the first variety (ECU-01) in 2007. To date, it has released ten varieties that are being planted extensively in Ecuador. Having more varietal options for planting transformed into a new scenario for the Ecuadorian sugar industry, where for many years a single variety (Ragnar) was planted, reaching more than 90% of the total area. Since 2012, the San Carlos Sugar Mill has adopted a strategy of evaluating the new varieties released by CINCAE in comparison with the varieties planted by the mill. Field trials were carried out in the four climatic zones and in the most representative soils using plots or strips of six rows of approximately 300 m in length. A randomized block design with three or four replications was used and data collected on tillers per square meter, growth, maturity curves, cane productivity and sugar content. During the trials, changes were made to the design of the field experiments and new promising clones have been incorporated into the trials. To date, we have collected data from 160 individual trials, which allowed our planting program to identify new varieties each year and place varieties in the different areas and soils where they have greater productive potential. This approach has led to an accelerated adoption of new varieties such as EC-09. This strategy, combined with dual-row planting, a controlled-traffic farming system and the redesign of fields, has allowed cane and sugar production to increase in recent years.