In an effort to curb red rot—often referred to as the cancer of sugarcane—the Uttar Pradesh Council of Sugarcane Research (UPCSR) has introduced 10 new sugarcane varieties that offer resistance to the disease. The newly released varieties have also demonstrated higher productivity during trials.
The initiative comes in response to the emergence of a highly aggressive strain of red rot in the popular CO-0238 variety, which led to widespread crop damage and heavy losses for farmers in recent years, particularly in the Terai region and parts of western Uttar Pradesh.
Sanjay Pathak, senior scientist and nodal officer (extension) at UPCSR, said the varieties underwent nearly a decade of field testing to assess both disease resistance and yield performance. “These varieties have recorded yields of up to 1,000 quintals per hectare,” he said.
Pathak added that the seed material would be supplied to sugar mill farms and distributed through cane development councils to around 3,800 women’s self-help groups across villages. These groups will raise single-bud saplings for sugarcane cultivation.
To safeguard the quality of seed production, the state sugarcane administration has tightened regulatory oversight for seed producer farmers. Officials said violations of the Seed Act could lead to monetary penalties as well as imprisonment, with the aim of preventing irregularities in seed production.
Uttar Pradesh Sugar and Sugarcane Commissioner Ministhy S said that after technical evaluation, registrations of 2,230 seed producer farmers were cancelled out of a total of 2,823 registered producers. She noted that farmers who meet the eligibility criteria may apply again for registration.
“The department has been instructed to strictly enforce seed production standards to preserve genetic purity and protect seed from pests and local infections,” the commissioner said. She also stressed that quarantine regulations must be followed when sourcing seed cane from other states or countries, adding that cultivation of foreign varieties would not be allowed without prior approval from the cane commissioner.
