ABSTRACT
Abiotic stresses are the most important limiting factors for cane productivity. These stresses include drought, flooding and temperature extremes, which cause detrimental effects on plant growth and yield. These negative factors affect the root function, growth rates, metabolism and in extreme cases lead to dehydration and death. Also, the expected rise in global temperatures indicates that there is an urgent need to understand and improve plant tolerance to
these stresses. In India, the productivity losses due to various abiotic stresses vary from 20 to 50% (Dwivedi, 2000). In Maharashtra, a high recovery zone, large areas have gone out of cultivation due to salinity, alkalinity and waterlogging (Zende, 2002; Zende and Hapse, 1986). Drought is the primary abiotic stress causing not only differences between the mean yield and the potential yield but also causing yield instability. Drought stress associated with high day temperature causes poor growth and high tiller mortality particularly during primary growth stage, which normally coincides with summer months in tropics. High temperatures have deleterious effects on plant photosynthesis, respiration and reproduction. A small increase in temperature results in conspicuous effect on growth and survival. Elevated temperatures cause rapid loss of water resulting in dehydration. In addition, drought coupled with water logging, i.e., early drought and subsequent water logging in Bihar, U.P., and Orissa is becoming a serious productivity constraint affecting considerable area under sugarcane cultivation. Sugarcane is moderately tolerant to flooding and water logging. However duration of water logging and the physiological stage at which the problem occurs determines the final yield and quality. Higher water table during active growth phase adversely affects stalk weight and plant population resulting yield loss at the rate of about one ton per acre for one inch increase in excess water (Carter, 1976; Carter and Floyed, 1974), although sugarcane is relatively tolerant to high water tables (Deren et al, 1991a, 1993; Roach and Mullins, 1985). It is reported that wellestablished cane can survive few months into flood, while less established cane appears to be much more vulnerable to flooding (Deren et al., 1991b). These abiotic stresses are location specific, exhibiting variation in frequency, intensity and duration and might occur at any stage of plant growth and development. This chapter provides an overview of recent research on sugarcane response in terms of growth and development, yield and quality to water induced stresses and high temperature and their management to cope up or sustain the sugarcane production for future challenges.
