Two species ( Saccharum barberi and Saccharum officinarum) were crossed to get sugarcane varieties with high yield/thick stem/high content/ ability to grow in North India.
Detailed Answer:
(i) Saccharum barberi was originally grown in north India, but had pool sugar content and yield.
(ii) Saccharum officinarum,, which used to be grown in South India, had thicker stems and higher sugar contents. However, it did not grow well in North India.
(iii) These two species were crossed to get sugar cane varieties with the desirable qualities of high yield, thick stems, high sugar and ability to grow in the sugar called areas of North India.
(iv) This breeding experiment helped in the growth of the sugar industry in north lndia.
