‘CP 16-1883’ a new sugarcane cultivar released for Florida organic soils

In South Florida, sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is cultivated on muck (organic) and sandy (mineral) soils. In 2022, 119,014 ha of sugarcane was grown on muck soil, which encompassed 72.2% of the total sugarcane acreage in Florida. The Canal Point (CP) sugarcane breeding program has the mandate of developing improved sugarcane cultivars for Florida growers. ‘CP 16-1883’ (Reg. no. CV-219, PI 705625), a sugarcane cultivar, and complex hybrid of Saccharum spp., was developed through cooperative research of the USDA-ARS, the University of Florida, and the Florida Sugarcane League and was released to growers in Florida on June 6, 2023. CP 16-1883 was selected from the cross CPX13-0991 made at CP Sugarcane Field Station on December 9, 2013; varieties ‘CPCL 05-1201’ and ‘CP 07-1746’ were the female and male parents, respectively. CP 16-1883 was selected from the early stages of selection based on its high cane yield, sucrose content, and sugar yield, and its acceptable resistance to main diseases affecting sugarcane in South Florida. Replicated trials, including CP 16-1883, were planted on muck soils at five locations and harvested during three crops cycles at each location. The overall cane yield, commercial recoverable sucrose, sucrose content, and the economic index of CP 16-1883 were higher than the reference cultivars. In addition, CP 16-1883 displays good ratooning ability for cane yield and minimal Pol and sucrose decreases after freezing temperatures.