{
  "id": 10320556,
  "title": "As UP’s sugar output plunges, hopes on a new cane variety",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/as-ups-sugar-output-plunges-hopes-on-a-new-cane-variety",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-28T00:21:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express - India",
    "slug": "the-indian-express-india",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/india/uttar-pradesh-sugarcane-red-rot-new-variety-10896712/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Uttar Pradesh, India's leading sugarcane-producing state, has witnessed a sharp decline in sugar output from 126.4 lakh tonnes (lt) to 89.5 lt between 2019-20 and 2025-26, attributed to the Co-0238 sugarcane variety's high susceptibility to red rot fungal disease. This has resulted in a 20% drop in the total cane crushed by the state's 120 sugar mills in the past six years, leading to increased hopes for a new variety. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research's Sugarcane Breeding Institute (ICAR-SBI) at Coimbatore has developed Co-20016 (Karan 20), which could replace Co-0238. After approval from the Central Varietal Release Committee, farmers can plant this variety during spring, summer, or autumn seasons. Trials conducted by the Indian Sugar & Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) have shown Co-20016 to have higher cane yield (144.6 tonnes per hectare) and sucrose content (18.7%) compared to Co-0238 (116.4 tonnes per hectare and 18.3% sucrose). Crucially, Co-20016 also shows resistance to red rot, especially the highly virulent 'CF13' pathotype.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Co-0238 sugarcane variety's high susceptibility to red rot fungal disease caused the decline.",
    "Co-20016 (Karan 20) variety shows resistance to red rot and higher yield and sucrose content."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The development offers hope for Uttar Pradesh's struggling sugarcane farmers and mills by potentially increasing cane yield and resistance to disease with the new Co-20016 sugarcane variety.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "As UP’s sugar output plunges, hopes on a new cane variety",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/as-ups-sugar-output-plunges-hopes-on-a-new-cane-variety-10325009",
        "published": "2026-09-28T00:21:32.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}