Lynne Wong's PhD thesis

4.7.3.5 Age
When the fibre and fines of each component part, as well as the four cane varieties were
considered together, there was a slightly significant effect (P < 0.05) of age on the Brixfree
water in dry leaf, slightly more significant (P < 0.01) in green leaf and highly
significant (P < 0.001) in top, rind and stalk.
4.7.3.6 Interaction effects
The interaction effects of variety x age, variety x size, age x size and variety x age x size
are examined below.
4.7.3.6.1 Variety x age
When the fibre and fines of a cane component part were considered together, the
interaction effect of variety x age was highly significant (P < 0.001) for the Brix-free water
in dry leaf, green leaf and rind, but not significant in top and stalk, indicating that
genotypes were affected differently with age in respect of dry leaf, green leaf and rind, but
not in top and stalk.
4.7.3.6.2 Variety x size
When all three ages were considered together, the interaction effect of variety x size was
not significant for the Brix-free water in dry leaf, but highly significant (P < 0.001) in
green leaf, rind and stalk.
4.7.3.6.3 Age x size
When all four cane varieties were considered together, the interaction effect of age x size
was not significant for the Brix-free water in both dry and green leaves, but was highly
significant (P < 0.001) in rind and stalk.
4.7.3.6.4 Variety x age x size
The interaction effect of variety x age x size was highly significant (P < 0.001) for the
Brix-free water in green leaf and stalk, slightly significant (P < 0.05) for dry leaf and not
significant in rind.
At 52 weeks old, the stalk fibre of M 1557/70 had the highest Brix-free water value of
13.08%, and R 579 had the lowest (10.56%); the opposite was true for stalk pith,
M 1557/70 had the lowest (20.79%) and R 579 had the highest (24.29%). Also, the rind
fibre of M 1557/70 had the highest Brix-free water value of 12.94%. It is also worth