Sugarcane Breeding in Australia.

Sugarcane is an important crop to the Australian economy, and the plant breeding program has contributed significantly to the success of the sugarcane industry. Currently, the Australian sugarcane breeding program is conducted at 6 research stations by Sugar Research Australia in collaboration with Wilmar Sugar. Crossing is mainly conducted in Meringa, whereas selection is carried out at 6 different stations. The selection process consists of three stages: progeny assessment trials (PATs), clonal assessment trials (CATs) and final assessment trials (FATs). It takes approximately 12 years from planting seedlings in PATs to release of a commercial variety. Key infrastructure for the efficient and effective operation of the program and activities for improving the program are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]