Answer Score

1.01 Is the species highly domesticated? n 0

1.02 Has the species become naturalised where grown?

1.03 Does the species have weedy races?

2.01 Species suited to FL climates (USDA hardiness zones; 0-low, 1-intermediate, 2-

high)

2

2.02 Quality of climate match data (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) 2

2.03 Broad climate suitability (environmental versatility) n 0

2.04 Native or naturalized in regions with an average of 11-60 inches of annual 

precipitation

2.05 Does the species have a history of repeated introductions outside its natural 

range?

3.01 Naturalized beyond native range

3.02 Garden/amenity/disturbance weed

3.03 Weed of agriculture

3.04 Environmental weed

3.05 Congeneric weed y 2

4.01 Produces spines, thorns or burrs n 0

4.02 Allelopathic n 0

4.03 Parasitic n 0

4.04 Unpalatable to grazing animals n -1

4.05 Toxic to animals n 0

4.06 Host for recognised pests and pathogens n 0

4.07 Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans n 0

4.08 Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems n 0

4.09 Is a shade tolerant plant at some stage of its life cycle n 0

4.10 Grows on infertile soils (oligotrophic, limerock, or excessively draining soils). 

North & Central Zones: infertile soils; South Zone: shallow limerock or 

Histisols.

y 1

4.11 Climbing or smothering growth habit n 0

4.12 Forms dense thickets n 0

5.01 Aquatic n 0

5.02 Grass y 1

5.03 Nitrogen fixing woody plant n 0

5.04 Geophyte n 0

6.01 Evidence of substantial reproductive failure in native habitat

6.02 Produces viable seed y 1

6.03 Hybridizes naturally ?

6.04 Self-compatible or apomictic n -1

6.05 Requires specialist pollinators n 0

6.06 Reproduction by vegetative propagation y 1

6.07 Minimum generative time (years) 1 1

L 79-1002 Sugarcane (Complex hybrid of Saccharum officinarum, S. 

spontaneum, S. barberi, S. sinense )
7.01 Propagules likely to be dispersed unintentionally (plants growing in heavily 

trafficked areas)

y 1

7.02 Propagules dispersed intentionally by people y 1

7.03 Propagules likely to disperse as a produce contaminant n -1

7.04 Propagules adapted to wind dispersal n -1

7.05 Propagules water dispersed n -1

7.06 Propagules bird dispersed n -1

7.07 Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally) n -1

7.08 Propagules dispersed by other animals (internally) n -1

8.01 Prolific seed production n -1

8.02 Evidence that a persistent propagule bank is formed (>1 yr) n -1

8.03 Well controlled by herbicides y -1

8.04 Tolerates, or benefits from, mutilation or cultivation y 1

8.05 Effective natural enemies present in U.S.

Total Score

Implemented Pacific Second Screening 

Risk Assessment Results

-1

No

Accept
Reference Source data

1.01 1. Bischoff, K.P. et al. 2008. Registration of 'L 79-1002' 

Sugarcane. Journal of Plant Registrations, 2(3): 211-217.

1. Heavily cultivated world-wide but no evidence for 

selection of reduced weediness, rather for disease 

resistance, ratooning ability, and general hardiness in 

commercial breeding efforts.

1.02

1.03

2.01 1. PERAL NAPPFAST Global Plant Hardiness 

(http://www.nappfast.org/Plant_hardiness/NAPPFAST%20

Global%20zones/10-

year%20climate/PLANT_HARDINESS_10YR%20lgnd.tif) & 

The National Arbor Day Foundation. 2006 Hardiness Zone 

Map (http://www.arborday.org/media/zones.cfm 

[Accessed: 9/8/2010]).

No computer analysis was performed. 1. Test trials 

conducted in the traditional sugarcane growing area in 

south Louisiana (NAPPFAST hardiness zone 9; Arbor Day 

hardiness sone 9 [central and north Florida]) and in the 

colder, non-sugarcane growing regions of north Louisiana 

(NAPPFAST hardiness zone 8; Arbor Day hardiness zone 8 

[parts of north Florida]).

2.02 No computer analysis was performed. Refer to 2.01 

Source Data. 

2.03 1. Köppen-Geiger climate map (http://www.hydrol-earthsyst-sci.net/11/1633/2007/hess-11-1633-2007.pdf). 1. Distribution in the tested sites of Louisiana occurs in 1 

climatic group.

2.04 Cannot be determined at this time due to this being a 

recently developed hybrid with no historical data.

2.05 1.a-b. Bischoff, K.P. et al. 2008. Registration of 'L 79-1002' 

Sugarcane. Journal of Plant Registrations, 2(3): 211-217. 2. 

Knoll, J.E. "Field performance of potential biomass 

feedstocks under no inputs in south Georgia." 32 nd 

Symposium of Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals. 

Society for Industrial Microbiology. Hilton Clearwater 

Beach. Clearwater Beach, FL. 19 April 2010. 3. Prine, G. & 

E.C. French. 1999. New forage, grain, and energy crops for 

Humid Lower South, US. p. 60–65. In : J. Janick (ed.), 

Perspectives on new crops and new uses. ASHS Press, 

Alexandria, VA.

Cannot be determined at this time due to this being a 

recently developed hybrid with no historical data. 1.a. 

Cultivar L 79-1002 was released on April 26, 2007 by the 

Louisiana State University Agricultural Center in 

cooperation with the USDA-ARS and the American 

Sugarcane League, Inc. 1.b. The Louisiana Agricultural 

Experiment Station will make available small quantities of 

seed for research purposes that may be obtained from the 

corresponding author for at least 5 years from the date of 

this publication. 2. A study was initiated in fall 2005 at 

Tifton, GA, to assess the performance of perennial grasses 

under rainfed conditions with no fertilizer inputs. The test 

consisted of four replications in a randomized complete 

block design, and included two energycanes (Saccharum 

sp.) US 01-012 and L 79-1002... 3. Average annual biomass 

yield of elephantgrass (eg), energycane (ec [L79-1002]), 

sugarcane (sc), was determines at five locations in 

southeastern United States (Florida - Ona, Gainesville, 

Quincy, Jay; Alabama - Auburn) over three growing seasons 

(Prine et al. 1991, 1997).

3.01 Cannot be determined at this time due to this being a 

recently developed hybrid with no historical data.
3.02 Cannot be determined at this time due to this being a 

recently developed hybrid with no historical data.

3.03 Cannot be determined at this time due to this being a 

recently developed hybrid with no historical data.

3.04 Cannot be determined at this time due to this being a 

recently developed hybrid with no historical data.

3.05 1. Tew, T.L. & R.M. Cobill. 2008. Genetic Improvement of 

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) as Energy Crop. pp. 249-272. 

In: W. Vermerris, editor. Genetic Improvement of Bioenergy 

Crops. Springer Science+Business Media, New York. 449 p. 

1. Because of its (Saccharum spontaneum ) aggressive 

rhizomatous habit and its ability to propagate via seed 

dispersal, it is regarded as a noxious weed in several 

nations, including the U.S.A.

4.01

4.02

4.03

4.04 1. Bischoff, K.P. et al. 2008. Registration of 'L 79-1002' 

Sugarcane. Journal of Plant Registrations, 2(3): 211-217.

1. It was released for an emerging biofuel industry because 

of its high fiber content and biomass (cane yield) potential. 

4.05

4.06 1. Bischoff, K.P. et al. 2008. Registration of 'L 79-1002' 

Sugarcane. Journal of Plant Registrations, 2(3): 211-217. 2. 

Comstock, J. Phone conversation. September 8, 2010.

1. Susceptible to Ratoon stunting disease and Sugarcane 

borer; moderately susceptible to smut; resistant to 

Sugarcane mosaic and Sorghum mosaic viruses. 2. 

Susceptible to sugarcane smut; probably too susceptible for 

commercial production. 3. Nothing out of the ordinary.

4.07

4.08

4.09 L 79-1002 is a C4 plant and generally C4 plants do not 

perform well in weak light conditions.

4.10 1.a-b. Richard, Jr., E. Sugar/Energy Canes as Biofuels 

Feedstocks. USDA-ARS Sugarcane Research Laboratory, 

Houma, LA. March 15, 2010. Online PowerPoint. 

http://www.worldbiofuelsmarkets.com/downloads/. 

Accessed: 9/8/2010. 

1. Low nutrient requirements. 1.b. Can be grown on less 

productive soils

4.11 Family Poaceae

4.12

5.01

5.02 Family Poaceae

5.03 Family Poaceae

5.04 Family Poaceae

6.01 Cannot be determined at this time due to this being a 

recently developed hybrid with no historical data.
6.02 1.a-c. Bischoff, K.P. et al. 2008. Registration of 'L 79-1002' 

Sugarcane. Journal of Plant Registrations, 2(3): 211-217. 2. 

Gravois, K.A. Personal phone interview. 29 September 

2010.

1.a. Sugarcane rarely flowers in Louisiana's temperate 

climate because of cool fall temperatures, unlike many S. 

spontaneum clones, which flower readily in Louisiana 

before cool temperatures set in. To induce sugarcane to 

flower in Louisiana, breeding clones are subjected to 

artificial photoperiod treatments (Bischoff & Gravois 2003). 

Photoperiod treatments in the LSU AgCenter sugarcane 

breeding program begin in early June by subjecting plants 

to a constant photoperiod of 12.5 hours for 35d. Daylengths are decreased by 1 minute per day until 10 

September. To accomplish this, breeding clones are 

propagated in 38-L buckets and placed on railcarts that can 

be pushed in and out of light-tight chambers. 1.b. The cross 

of L 79-1002 was made in 1974; the female parent was CP 

52-68 and the male parent was Tainan (from S. 

spontaneum - phone conversation w/ Jack Comstock). The 

seedling of L 79-1002 was germinated from a true seed in 

January 1975 and transplanted to the field in April of the 

same year. 1.c. The Louisiana Agricultural Experiment 

Station will make available small quantities of seed for 

research purposes that may be obtained from the 

corresponding author for at least 5 years from the date of 

this publication. 2. Has been cultivated for about 20-30 

years and has never seeded or established a seed bank. 

6.03 1. Gravois, K.A. Personal phone interview. 29 September 

2010.

1. L 79-1002 probably wouldn't hybridize naturally. It is a 

genetic mess and can cross, but not naturally. I don’t want 

to say that it's impossible, but it is highly unlikely. L 79-1002 

does flower freely in November, whereas common 

sugarcane rarely flowers, but when it does flower it flowers 

in mid-December.

6.04 1. Bischoff, K.P. et al. 2008. Registration of 'L 79-1002' 

Sugarcane. Journal of Plant Registrations, 2(3): 211-217.

1. Cultivated sugarcane is predominately outcrossing, highly 

heterozygous, and maintained by vegetative propagation.

6.05

6.06 1. Bischoff, K.P. et al. 2008. Registration of 'L 79-1002' 

Sugarcane. Journal of Plant Registrations, 2(3): 211-217. 2. 

Richard, Jr., E. Sugar/Energy Canes as Biofuels Feedstocks. 

USDA-ARS Sugarcane Research Laboratory, Houma, LA. 

March 15, 2010. Online PowerPoint. 

http://www.worldbiofuelsmarkets.com/downloads/. 

Accessed: 9/8/2010. 3. Gravois, K.A. Personal phone 

interview. 29 September 2010. 

1. Cultivated sugarcane is predominately outcrossing, highly 

heterozygous, and maintained by vegetative propagation. 

2. Sugar/Energy Cane as a dedicated biofeedstock - 

vegetatively propagated. 3. Vegetatively propagated; a 

stalk could fall on the ground and would germinate within 2-

3 weeks.

6.07 1. Gravois, K.A. Personal phone interview. 29 September 

2010.

1. A stalk could fall on the ground and would germinate 

within 2-3 weeks.
7.01 1. Gravois, K.A. Personal phone interview. 29 September 

2010.

1. A stalk could fall on the ground and would germinate 

within 2-3 weeks.

7.02 1. Bischoff, K.P. et al. 2008. Registration of 'L 79-1002' 

Sugarcane. Journal of Plant Registrations, 2(3): 211-217.

1.a. Cultivar L 79-1002 was released on April 26, 2007 by 

the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center in 

cooperation with the USDA-ARS and the American 

Sugarcane League, Inc. for an emerging biofuel industry 

because of its high fiber content, biomass (cane yield) 

potential, excellent ratooning ability, and vigorous growth 

habit.1.b. The Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station will 

make available small quantities of seed for research 

purposes that may be obtained from the corresponding 

author for at least 5 years from the date of this publication.

7.03

7.04

7.05

7.06

7.07

7.08

8.01 1. Gravois, K.A. Personal phone interview. 29 September 

2010.

1. Has been cultivated for about 20-30 years and has never 

seeded or established a seed bank.

8.02 1. Gravois, K.A. Personal phone interview. 29 September 

2010.

1. Has been cultivated for about 20-30 years and has never 

seeded or established a seed bank.

8.03 1. Gravois, K.A. Personal phone interview. 29 September 

2010.

1. Volunteers can be controlled with disking and 

glyphosate.

8.04 1. Gravois, K.A. Personal phone interview. 29 September 

2010.

1. A stalk could fall on the ground and would germinate 

within 2-3 weeks.

8.05 1. Bischoff, K.P. et al. 2008. Registration of 'L 79-1002' 

Sugarcane. Journal of Plant Registrations, 2(3): 211-217. 2. 

Comstock, J. Phone conversation. 8 September 2010. 

1. Susceptible to Ratoon stunting disease and Sugarcane 

borer; moderately susceptible to smut; resistant to 

Sugarcane mosaic and Sorghum mosaic viruses. 2. 

Susceptible to sugarcane smut; probably too susceptible for 

commercial production.