ANALYSIS OF DISTRICT ADOPTION PATTERNS OF COMMERCIAL SUGARCANE VARIETIES TO DETERMINE THE DRIVERS OF VARIETAL ADOPTION IN THE AUSTRALIAN SUGAR INDUSTRY

THE AUSTRALIAN sugar industry continually searches for innovative methods for improving on-farm productivity and profitability. A key driver of variety adoption is disease impact and response which drives adoption levels and rates. Another driver is whether varieties are highly productive or fill a niche, thus impacting on the level of adoption. With a better understanding of the patterns of adoption within the regions, we hope to accelerate variety adoption and increase economic returns to the Australian sugar industry. We undertook a principal components analysis using varietal and mill productivity data for varieties grown from 1970-2005 to better understand historic varietal adoption patterns within the Northern, Herbert, Burdekin, Central and Southern districts. Q96 was the most important variety in the Burdekin, showing the highest adoption and being most rapidly adopted. The importance of Q96 was evident from its industry impact factor. The next group of varieties that were well adopted within the regions were Q117, Q124, H56-752 and the newer variety Q183 . Analysis of the Northern, Burdekin and Southern regions showed good adoption of new varieties such as Q186 , Q187 and Q200 . These varieties have contributed to a significant increase of 119 tonnes sugar/ha/year seen by the industry and, had smut not been found in Queensland in 2006, they may have continued to benefit the industry. Varieties with smut resistance, such as Q200 and Q208 , may show high levels and rates of adoption during the next 5 years as response to the smut incursion continues across the industry.