A comparison of flowering behaviour of sugarcane clones in two different locations

Flowering is highly variable and erratic in tropical environments in recent years. Due to changing weather conditions, the flowering intensity varied in two different locations with contrasting conditions. Flowering occurred in both the environments but the percentage of varieties flowered and the flowering intensity differed widely between the two locations. The environmental factors viz. , temperature, and rainfall data of both the locations in the 2004 season were analyzed. The day time temperature of >31°C during the sensitive floral induction and initiation period occurred for more number of days in traditional breeding plot, where the flowering intensity was very much reduced. However, there were no appreciable differences in minimum temperature for flower initiation and development. The reduction in flowering ability of clones in the traditional breeding plots could be due to high temperature prevailing prior to and during the floral initiation period and deficient rainfall.