Sugarcane Breeding Programs in the USA

Sugarcane has been grown in the USA since the 1690 s when it was brought to the country by early explorers. New sugarcane varieties and true seed were brought in from other countries, marking the first effort at variety development. A breeding program was established in 1919 to overcome a devastating mosaic virus epidemic and continues to this day. Sugarcane breeding in the USA is conducted by federal, state, and industry programs working together for the domestic industry. Sugarcane is grown in Louisiana, Florida, and Texas. Because of diverse growing environments, separate breeding and selection programs operate in each state, with cooperation among the groups. Louisiana sugarcane production is carried out by over 450 family farming operations, while the production in Florida is carried out by larger corporations. The Texas industry is small, with only a single mill run by a grower’s cooperative. Through decades of successful breeding, sugar recovery has doubled since the 1890s from an average of 5.8–11.7%. A long-term introgression effort has been funded through the USDA at Houma, Louisiana, since the 1950s, and the incorporation of traits from the wild relative, S. spontaneum, is credited with continued yield increases. The USA also maintains the World Collection of Sugarcane and Related Grasses at the USDA-ARS Subtropical Horticulture Research Station, Miami, Florida. This collection serves as a source of germplasm for sugarcane breeders around the world. Sugarcane clones are imported though the USDA-APHIS-Plant Protection and Quarantine Facility in Beltsville, Maryland, where it undergoes extensive disease testing and insect inspection before being released for breeding.