THE CONTRIBUTION OF VARIETY NCo376 TO SUGAR PRO- DUCTION IN SOUTH AFRICA FROM 1955 TO 2000 AND ITS VALUE AS A PARENT IN THE BREEDING PROGRAMME

When NCo376 was released in 1955, it had to compete with the popular NCo310. However, its superior sucrose yield (but lower sucrose content) and wider adaptation to different growing conditions in South Africa, ensured that it became the major variety by 1965. It maintained this status until one of its seedlings, N12, produced more cane than NCo376 in 1995. From 1970/71 until the 1985/86 milling seasons, NCo376 produced more than 70% of the cane delivered to the mills in South Africa. The total sugar produced by NCo376 until December 2000 amounted to about 38.9 million tons.