Internal ional Diffusion of Technology: A Case Study of Sugarcane Varieties 41 



(Timoshenko and Swerling, 1957). Stage 3 varieties were the most 

 widely transferred, as they generally were superior to the stage 2 

 varieties and were suited to much wider ranges of soil and climate 

 conditions than the stage 4 varieties. 



This is borne out by the data in table 3.2. This table lists and 

 ranks the nineteen most important varieties in world production 

 during the 1940-64 period. Twenty-two additional varieties that 

 ranked high as parent and grandparent varieties are also listed. 

 Production in all major producing countries with the exception of 

 Argentina and the Philippines is included in the production com- 

 putations. One-half of the production of a major variety is at- 

 tributed to each of the parent varieties. Most of the important cur- 

 rent varieties listed are stage 3 varieties developed after 1920, 

 although some stage 2 varieties such as Co. 213 from India are 

 also important.-'' One, POJ 2878, was not only the leading impor- 

 tant variety, but the leading parent variety as well. A number of 

 other important varieties were also important parent varieties, 

 and the Indian Co. 213 was a major grandparent variety as well. 

 Several of the parent and grandparent varieties, on the other 

 hand, were never important commercially. 



The variety data are summarized in table 3.3 by the fifteen ex- 

 periment stations that developed the varieties. The Coimbatore 

 and the Java stations dominate the production of major, interna- 

 tionally diffused, parent and grandparent varieties. 



Very little new variety transmission has taken place in the 

 period since 1950, with the development of the stage 4 varieties. 

 Transferal of variety technology has almost certainly taken place 

 during this period, however. It has taken place via the interna- 

 tional exchange of research findings and information, through 

 the exchange of genetic material, and through the international 

 mobility of scientists. 



The discovery of new varieties and their international diffusion 

 have, of course, influenced sugarcane production. Production and 



5. The variety N.Co: 310, developed in South Africa, might be considered a 

 stage 4 variety. It was the first variety released from the South Africa-Indian 

 cooperative breeding effort. 



