47. Volume 14- Number 2 - IP Australia

tillers per stool. Leaf canopy is very light to light. Suckers
are very few in number. Stem: culms are short to medium
with mean length to top visible dewlap (TVD)
approximately 2.46m (range 2.09 to 2.89m). Alternate
internodes of a culm are arranged in a medium zigzagged
pattern. Length of longest internode on bud side is short
with mean length approximately 16.3cm (range 13.2 to
19.9cm) and side opposite bud is short with mean length
approximately 15.9cm (range 13.0 to 19.8cm). Diameter of
longest internode central and perpendicular to bud is thick
with mean approximately 27.2mm (range 23.4 to 32.5mm).
Diameter of longest internode central and dissecting bud is
medium to thick with mean approximately 27.6mm (range
23.0 to 33.6mm). Internodes are conoidal to slightly
bobbin-shaped and slightly oval in cross-section. Colour of
dewaxed internode is yellow-green (RHS 144A) exposed
and yellow-green (RHS 145B) unexposed. Wax covering of
internode is light to medium, with wax band distinct and
narrow in width. Growth cracks are few to medium. Cork
cracks are very few. Bud groove is inconspicuous, very
short in length and very shallow. Root band width on bud
side is medium (10.1 to 11.0mm). Bud is medium to strong
in prominence, ovate in shape, and with base near to leaf
scar and tip below the growth ring. Bud width excluding
wings is narrow and bud wing is very narrow in width. Leaf
scar is medium prominent and oblique descending towards
bud. Growth ring is flush. Leaf: Lamina of TVD leaf is
medium to long in length with mean approximately 1.50m
(range 1.21 to 1.70m), medium to wide in width with mean
approximately 43.3mm (range 36.1 to 49.8mm) at
longitudinal midpoint, and bent near tip in attitude. Midrib
of lamina at longitudinal midpoint is medium to wide in
width with mean 4.0mm (range 2.9 to 5.1mm). Lamina
width to midrib width ratio is low to medium with mean
approximately 11.1 (range 8.9 to 14.7). Leaf sheath of TVD
leaf is long to very long with mean length approximately
34.7cm (range 33.0 to 38.0cm). Sheath of senescent leaves
have weak adherence to culm. Hairs on abaxial leaf sheath
surface (Group 57) are very sparse and very short. Ligule is
crescentiform in shape and medium in height at midrib
section. Cilia along the free margin of the ligule (Group 61)
are sparse and very short to short. Auricles are of medium
prominence and asymmetrical. Inner or underlapping
auricle is lanceolate in shape and medium to large in size.
Outer or overlapping auricle is transitional in shape. Seed:
seed or fruit is a caryopsis. Disease resistance: highly
resistant to Leaf Scald (Xanthomonas albilineans (Ashby)
Dowson), intermediate-susceptible to sugarcane mosaic
virus, intermediate to Red Rot (Glomerella tucumanensis
(Spego) Arx and Mueller, intermediate to Pachymetra Root
Rot. Other characteristics: Fibre quantity and quality are
acceptable for milling purposes (impact reading 0.42, shear
strength 24.0, short fibre 63.7%).
Origin and Breeding Controlled pollination: ‘Q194’ is the
progeny of a controlled bi-parental cross made at Meringa
(Gordonvale), QLD, between the female parent ‘Q117’ and
the male parent ‘Q162’. Seed was collected from the
pollinated female inflorescence and stored for germination
in 1989. ‘Q194’ is intermediate-susceptible (score 6) to
sugarcane mosaic virus while ‘Q117’ is highly resistant
(score 2) and ‘Q162’ is very highly resistant (score 1).
‘Q194’ has been evaluated and selected by BSES in yield
trials on the Herbert Sugar Experiment Station and sites
PLANT VARIETIES JOURNAL 2001 VOL 14 NO. 2
within the sugarcane growing area in the Herbert region.
Standard commercial varieties were also included in the
trials for comparative purposes. Selection criteria: cane
yield, ccs, and sugar yield have been the main selection
criteria. Disease resistance screening was conducted at the
pathology farm (Eight Mile Plains) and in the Tully
glasshouse. Propagation: after an initial seedling stage
(using seed from the cross), all subsequent stages have
involved vegetative propagation. Breeder: Bureau of Sugar
Experiment Stations.
Choice of Comparators ‘Q117’ and ‘Q162’ were chosen
as they are the most similar varieties grown in the Herbert
region. ‘Q117’ accounted for about 2.6% (72,600 t) of the
Herbert region crop in 2000 while ‘Q162’ accounted for
35,400 t in 2000 (1.3%). The comparators are also the
parents of Q194.
Comparative Trial Location: conducted at Meringa Sugar
Experiment Station (17º 12′ S, 145º 45′ E), Gordonvale,
QLD. The trial was planted 22 Sep 1999 and harvested in
Oct 2000. DUS data were recorded in mid May 2000.
Conditions: clones were propagated from vegetative
cuttings and grown under field conditions. Soil type:
Clifton. Watering regime: Rainfed. Chemicals: The
fungicide Shirtan was applied at 400 ml per hectare at
planting. SuSCon (14 kg/ha) was applied at planting.
Fertilisers: DAP (120 kg/ha) was applied at planting.
Muriate of potash (140 kg/ha) was applied on 15 November
1999 and urea (100 kg/ha) was applied on 25 November
1999. Total nutrients were: N – 67.6 kg/ha; P – 24 kg/ha; K
– 70 kg/ha. Trial design: clones were grown in a randomised
complete block design with three replicates. Plots were
single row by 10m, with 1.5m between rows.
Measurements: taken from up to 15 stalks sampled
randomly per plot.
Prior Applications and Sales
No prior applications. First sold in Australia in Apr 2001.
Description: Dr Mike Cox, BSES, Bundaberg, QLD
Table 33 Saccharum varieties
‘Q194’ *‘Q117’ *‘Q162’
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GROWTH HABIT
erect erect semi-erect
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TILLERING
medium few medium
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LEAF CANOPY
very light light to light to
to light medium medium
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SUCKERING
very few very few very few
to few
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ALIGNMENT OF INTERNODES
medium medium medium to
zigzagged zigzagged strongly
zigzagged
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DESCRIPTIONS