Effect of a freeze on some technological characteristics of several sugar cane varieties

Abstract

A freeze occurred in the State of São Paulo, on July, 18th, 1975 with the temperature decreasing to -1ºC in Piracicaba. Advantage was taken of this occurrence to study the effect of freeze on the technological characteristics of some commercial sugar cane varieties. Ten stalk samples were taken for the experiment, beginning at twelve days after the freeze and thereafter every two weeks. Brix % juice, pol % juice and, by inference, theoretical sugar yield (kg/t of cane) were studied. Due to the environmental and plant conditions in the field, it could be concluded that the varieties did not show significant alterations caused by the freeze in none of the seven fortnight samples. Regression analysis showed that brix % juice data fitted 2nd degree curves better than the other data, with F test significant in nine out of fifteen cases.