Assessment of comparative hardness of sugarcane varieties at nodes and internodes

Abstract

Assessment of comparative hardness of sugarcane was done using compression testing machine with tension compression proving ring. Hardness of nodes and internodes of three early and four mid late cane varieties was assessed. Nodes were observed to be harder than internodes. Data on node and internode hardness showed that amongst early and mid late varieties, hardness of both node and internode of CoLk 8102 was maximum (0.82 and 0.67 kN force was required for breaking node and internode respectively) indicating it to be the hardest amongst the cane varieties tested. Data on hardness of each node and internode from top to bottom at 10 & 12 month crop age revealed that nodes and internodes at 12 months were harder than the nodes and internodes at 10 month crop age.