Abstract

Farmer adoption for newly released variety is primarily based on the sucrose content, quality and market value of powdered jaggery. Therefore, the present investigation was conducted during 2019-20 at Sugarcane Research Station, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India to explore the opportunities for higher powdered jaggery production from two varieties viz., CoC 13339 and CoC 25 which were recently released from this station and compared with the quality attributes of the ruling variety Co 86032 (Control variety). Among the varieties, CoC 13339 recorded Total Soluble Solids (TSS) of 92°Brix with Jaggery Recovery Percentage (JRP) of 10.12% while TSS (95°Brix) and JRP (9.71%) were noted in CoC 25. The moisture content was recorded as 6.51% in CoC 13339, 6.90% in CoC 25 and 6.82% in Co 86032 (control). The reducing sugar content was higher in the variety Co 86032 (7.73%) followed by 7.52% in CoC 25 and 6.51% for CoC 13339, respectively. The most important parameter, the sucrose content was comparatively higher in CoC 13339 (89.1%) and in the control variety Co 86032 (87.4%). The total phenolic content of the powdered jaggery were 3.12, 3.20 and 3.59 mg GAE/g for the varieties CoC 25, Co 86032 and CoC 13339, respectively. Therefore, the variety CoC 13339 yielded good quality powdered jaggery which is of commercial preference and would serve as an alternative to the existing cane varieties for jaggery production. With regard to jaggery colour, the variety CoC 25 appeared deep straw yellow colour while CoC 13339 in dark yellow colour with high organoleptic score of 98%.