Field Crops> Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)> Classification

Sugarcane belongs to the genus Saccharum in the family Gramineae. Cultivated sugarcane is classified into three species.

(1) Saccharum officinarum: These are thick and juicy canes good for chewing purpose also. This species includes the tropical canes indigenous to the New Guinea.These canes contain high sugar content, low fibre and produce high tonnage. These are generally resistant to smut but are susceptible to red rot and mosaic diseases. The cultivation of this species is limited to tropical areas. But in recent years these canes have been succeeded by hybridisation among Officinarum, spontaneum and other species in subtropical regions.
(2) Saccharum sinense: This species of cultivated sugarcane is indigenous to north-eastern India. This species is characterised by long and thin stalks, broad leaves, low to medium sucrose content and early maturity. This species includes 'Pansahi'. 'Nargori' and 'Mungo' groups of sugarcane. Internodes of these canes are long and more or less zigzag and nodes are prominent.
(3) Saccharum barberi: This species is also indigenous to north-eastern India. It is characterised by short and thin stalks, narrow leaves, low to medium sucrose content, and early maturity.This species includes 'Saretha' and 'Sunnabile' groups of sugarcane.

Both the above mentioned species, indigenous to north-eastern India were in cultivation for many centuries but now-a-days canes of these species have been replaced by complex hybrid clones. In addition to the above three cultivated species there are two wild species S. spontaneum and S. robustum.