Eldana susceptible cultivars were more sensitive to damage as harvest age increased (4.1 compared with 3.1 %IB per additional growth month for susceptible vs.resistant cultivars, respectively).
Eldana resistance was essential for achieving the benefits of increased HA in the coastal region. The study highlights the importance of harvest age to sugarcane productivity and illustrate show an experimental database can be used to inform breeding strategies and gain insights into a key management factor of industrial importance.