The Louisiana Sugarcane Cultivar Development Program is charged with developing sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids) cultivars adapted for production in South Louisiana. The program is conducted through a collaborative effort involving the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center Sugar Research Station, the USDA-ARS Sugarcane Research Unit, and the American Sugar Cane League. The selection and release of ‘L 15-306’ (Reg. no. CV-225, PI 709602) to commercial sugarcane growers in Louisiana align with the program's objectives by providing another option for a well-adapted, disease-resistant, high sugar-yielding cultivar. In selection trials, L 15-306 consistently maintained its performance across five important agronomic traits (stalk weight, population, cane yield, sucrose content, and sugar yield), performing comparably or statistically better than L 01-299, the leading cultivar in terms of hectares planted in the Louisiana sugar industry. Ratoonability is a characteristic highly prioritized for increased profitability, and an evaluation of the ratoonability of L 15-306 showed performance similar to that of L 01-299 in terms of yield consistency over a three-crop cycle. Early physiological maturity, coupled with a favorable response to ripener applications, will allow the cultivar to fit nicely with the short growing season of Louisiana sugar production. In response to stress assessments, L 15-306 is rated as moderately freeze-tolerant and resistant or highly resistant to five common diseases (leaf scald, smut, mosaic, rust, and brown stripe), and susceptible to damage from infestation by the sugarcane borer. L 15-306 has a medium-sized stalk with good canopy coverage. It shares common ancestry with many commercial cultivars, with L 01-283 as its female parent and LCP 85-384 as its male grandparent.
