Abstract True sugarcane seed (TSS) families offer economic, environmental, and practical advantages over clonal varieties. Identification of well-germinating and high-yielding TSS families to replace sett/settling planting is a prerequisite for direct commercial cultivation. Promising TSS families are identified through family selection, an efficient, proven, and cost-effective approach. A total of 139 crosses, with varying sets of 22, 51, and 66 crosses were produced in 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21, respectively. Among the 66 TSS families evaluated, 18F02, 18F27, 19F25, 19F46, 20F10, and 20F11 outperformed the popular clonal check Co 86032, with moderate to low variability, within an acceptable range for cane (number of millable canes per clump ≥ 5.0; single cane weight ≥ 1.0 kg) and sugar (Brix% ≥ 18.0%; Sucrose% ≥ 15.0%) yield traits, accompanied by good fluff germination and seedling establishment parameters. These results implied the possibility of exploiting promising true seed-based families for commercial sugarcane cultivation. (TSS economic environmental varieties wellgerminating well germinating highyielding high yielding settsettling sett settling cultivation selection efficient proven costeffective cost effective approach 13 22 51 6 201819, 201819 2018 19, 19 2018-19 201920, 201920 2019 20, 20 2019-20 202021, 202021 2020 21, 21 2020-21 respectively evaluated 18F02 F 18F27 19F25 19F46 20F10 20F1 86032 variability number 5.0 50 5 0 10 1 1. kg Brix% Brix (Brix 18.0% 180 18 Sucrose 15.0% 150 15 traits parameters seedbased based 2 20181 201 2018-1 20192 2019-2 20202 202 2020-2 18F0 18F2 19F2 19F4 20F 8603 5. 18.0 15.0 2018- 2019- 2020- 18F 19F 860 18. 15. 86 8