Sugarcane varieties

Sugarcane is a large scale commercial crop for tropical countries. It is used in products from sweetened drinks to cardboard. There are more than 30 varieties, and thousands of hybrids of sugarcane generally categorized by a letter/number system rather than actual names, although some have common names as well as scientific labels.

Commercial

Commercial sugar canes can be divided into three main varieties: crystal, syrup and chewing cane. Crystal sugarcane is the basic variety used to make granulated sugars. Syrup sugarcane boils into a liquid easily. The reduced sucrose in the syrup sugarcane keeps it from crystallizing during processing or storage. Syrup sugarcane is found primarily in juices, soft drinks and molasses. The syrup sugarcane performs double duty by providing a good source of material to form cardboard products from the used husks. Chewing sugarcane isn’t as popular in the USA as it is in other parts of the world. In India it is a common product in markets. The chewing cane can be chewed for its savory sugary flavor and then spit out. Chewing cane is also suitable for boiling into syrup.

Ornamental

There are a few ornamental varieties of sugarcane that make attractive plants if you live in the right climate for their survival. All sugarcane is cold sensitive and does better in zones 8, 9 and 10. Purple sugarcane (Saccharum Officinarum) is a beautiful bamboo grass variety that has large leaves and dark black/purple canes with white horizontal stripes. It grows very fast in full sun to a height of six to eight feet in zones 8 or warmer. In zones 9 or 10 it can get as much as 20 feet tall. In either zone it can be grown in up to 40% shade, but it will reduce the speed of growth, although it still grows fast. The canes produce a delicious chewing cane that is harvested in the fall.

New Varieties

Diversity is important to commercial sugarcane growers to keep the crops resistant to common sugarcane pests and diseases. LSU Ag Center reports that farmers in Louisiana are hoping to improve their crops with two newly developed sugarcane varieties L 97-128 developed by LSU at the St. Gabriel research facility, and Ho 95-988 created and chosen by the USDA, United States Department of Agriculture at their Houma facility. L 97-128 improves growth to maturity rates and has a percent increase in available sugar content. Ho 95-988 is a cross between several wild plants and a Hawaiian sugarcane variety. It is not related to the new L 97-128 plant making it a good possibility for cross pollination and further strengthening of the sugarcane genes. On the downside, both of the new varieties remain susceptible to sugarcane borer, a common sugarcane pest.