2003 Annual Report 4.What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? This project is a Trust Fund with the Florida Sugarcane League, Inc. and supports research conducted in CRIS 6625-13210-002-00D on Sugarcane germplasm enhancement and Diversification to Develop Sustainable Agricultural Systems. The sugarcane cultivar development project takes 8 years to advance a selection from a seedling to a released cultivar. Selected clones advance through intermediate stages yearly and are advanced based on various selection criteria that includes disease resistance, high sucrose content, and high cane yields. Experimental selections are evaluated at 10 locations over a three crop cycle (plant cane, 1st ratoon, and 2nd ratoon) before being released. Two cultivars, CP 96-1252 and CP 96-1602, were recommended for release in the fall of 2003. A test to evaluate cold tolerance was developed based on quantifying the leakage of electrolytes from frozen sugarcane leaf tissue. This technique permits the evaluation of breeding lines and cultivars in the absence of natural freezes through the use of a cold chamber.