Sugarcane Breeding Station, Jabban
Growth duration of sugarcane crop in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) is shorter (March to October) as compared to the full crop duration of 12 to 18 months. In this scenario, sugarcane varieties are needed which are vigorous to compensate for the short duration and yet have optimum cane yield per unit area of the land. Previously, there was no breeding program in the province. In 1992-93, the government of KPK sanctioned a project titled "Establishement of Sugarcane Breeding Station, Jabban, Dargai". Under the project 3 acres of land was purchased where 3 photoperiod chambers and an office cum store were built.
Jabban, Dargai, is an area surronded by mountains on the three sides and provide suitable conditions for sugarcane flowering. Shortly after the establishment of the aforementioned project efforts to induce flowering in sugarcane varieties started. Meanwhile, 2 promising varieties which were produced from the seedlings produced previously showed promising resutls and were approved under the names of "JN 88-1" and "Abid 96". They were released for commercial cultivation in 1996.
Currently, as mentioned above there are three photoperiod chambers which are used to induce flowering in different sugarcane varieties. The objectives of breeding at the station include:
- To develop sugarcane varieites with short duration to escape the ill effects of frost in the winter.
- To screen out sugarcane germplasm grown from fuzz and procured locally or abroad.
- To assess the flowering response of different sugarcane varieties for syncronization in the crosses.
Future plan
- To overcome the everlasting shortage of power supply for the photoperiod chambers.
- Installation of sufficient lighting system inside the chambers.
- Install a misting system outside the chamber for daytime.