Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is the primary crop in the Everglades Agricultural Area of Florida where it is exposed to periodic floods. Unacceptable stands often result in sugarcane that is not yet sprouted and exposed to flood. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects on emergence of flood durations of 0 to 6 d on sugarcane genotypes in the final testing stage of a cultivar development program. Each of 10 genotypes were planted in two experiments between 3 Sept. 02 and 5 Sept. 04 and 8 additional genotypes were planted in experiments in November 2003 and December 2004. Three or four stalk sections, usually with three or four healthy buds per section, were planted outside in flats (36 cm wide by 51 cm long by 9.5 cm deep) and covered with soil. Flats were inundated for 0, 2, 4, or 6 d. Mean emergence percentages for the six experiments after flood durations of 0, 2, 4, and 6 d were 63.6, 63.3, 52.0, and 41.1, respectively. Representing the most and least adapted, in separate experiments, CP 89-2376 emergence after 6-d flood was 96.0% of its unflooded emergence and CP 72-2086 emergence after 6-d flood was 3.7% of its unflooded emergence. CP 98-1335, CP 98-2047, CP 00-1100, CP 00-1301, and CP 00-1446 had emergence similar to that of CP 89-2376 when exposed to flood durations of 4 or 6 d. Most tested genotypes were able to emerge well after up to 2-d floods. Results suggest that emergence after flood can be improved by a breeding and selection program that includes this characteristic, and that floods of up to 2 d may not substantially affect the emergence of many of the current commercial cultivars.