FAISALABAD:University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) has developed two high-yielding and potential varieties of sugarcane.
National Bio-safety Committee (NBC) of Ministry of Climate Change, Islamabad after the recommendations of the IBC, University of Agriculture Faisalabad and TAC, Pak-EPA, Islamabad also approved these new varieties which are insect-resistant transgenic sugarcane (CABB-IRS) and Herbicide-tolerant transgenic sugarcane (CABB-HTS) for field trials.
UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that these varieties were developed by Dean Faculty of Agriculture Faisalabad Prof. Dr. Muhammad Sarwar Khan and his team from the Centre of Agricultural Biochemistry and Biotechnology, UAF.
He congratulated the team and hoped that it would prove a millstone for the sugarcane per acre increment.
He said that sugarcane fulfilled 70 percent of the world sugar needs and is also a prime potential source of bioethanol. Pakistan is at the 5th top-most grower but 11th largest producer of sugarcane in the world.
During 2021-2022 sugarcane production increased to 88.65 million tons compared to 81.009 million tons of last year. Average sugar recovery in country is 10.6 percent as compared with Brazil and Sri Lanka where it is 16%, he added.
He further said that the average sugarcane production in the country is 45-50 tons/ha, which is very much low compared to the average yield worldwide which is around 60 metric tons/ha. Two serious yield limiting agents are weeds and insect pests.
He said that most important insect-pests of sugarcane are top borer, stem borer, gurdaspur borer, root borer which may cause up to 50% yield losses.
Due to canal irrigation, weed infestation is high which may cause 24-50 percent losses in crop production. Weeds can be effectively controlled by the use of non-selective herbicides i.e. Glyphosate and Glufosinate, he added.
He said that newly developed UAF varieties juice is toxin poison free. Economic benefits of CABB-IRS & CABB HTS sugarcane include for the control of borers at least 3 applications of granular pesticides are recommended which costs Rs 3500-4000 per acre.
It is equally good for the control of herbicides 3-4 sprays of selective herbicides are recommended which costs Rs. 4000-5000 per acre (Alternatively 2 sprays of glufosinate cost 3500 per acre so an additional cost of 1000 -1500 is there in case of non-transgenic crops). Weeds cause up to 25% where insects can cause up to 40% reduction in the yield. Engineered sugarcane has ability to minimize these losses, he added.