Characters Of Sugarcane Research Articles

EMS-Based In Vitro Mutagenesis and Mutant Screening for Smut Resistance with Agronomic Traits in Sugarcane

Induced mutagenesis offers a useful method to improve desirable characters in sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids). In this study, eleven Ethyl Methyl Sulfonate (EMS)-induced mutants of the Indian sugarcane cultivar CoC 671 were evaluated for smut disease resistance along with agronomic and quality traits viz. early maturity, high sucrose, high cane yield and for quality. PCR-based early detection assay for smut resistance was successfully adopted using the Internal Transcribed Spacer sequence of Sporisorium scitamineum and the same was correlated with field-grown mutants exhibiting resistance upon artificial smut pathogen inoculation. The smut resistant mutants were also found superior for juice and sugar quality parameters such as Brix %, Sucrose %, Purity % as well as Commercial Cane Sugar content at 10th and 12th month maturity. Mutants TC 2819 and TC 2826 exhibited superior for sucrose content (20–24%) than parent CoC 671 (18–21%), respectively, at 10th and 12th month of maturity. The study highlights potential of EMS-induced genetic variability for the mutants with smut resistance and agronomic traits in sugarcane.

Repeatibility of agroindustrial characters in sugarcane in different harvest cycles

n commercial cultivation of sugarcane, knowledge about the repetition of agroindustrial characters is essential to identify long-lived genotypes in production cycles, which when selected, will contribute to the significant increase in productivity. This work evaluated the agroindustrial performance of 16 sugarcane genotypes in the sugarcane microregion Litoral Norte of Pernambuco in four harvest cycles and the regularity in the repetition of characters. The experiment was conducted in the agricultural area of Sao Jose sugar mill, Igarassu, state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The experiment was carried out following a randomized block design with four replications. The variables evaluated were: tons of POL per hectare (TPH), tons of cane per hectare (TCH), fiber (FIB), adjusted POL% (PCC), soluble solids content (BRIX), and total recoverable sugar (TRS). The variance analysis detected significant differences among the genotypes along the four harvest seasons, indicating genetic variability and possibility of success in the selection of superior genotypes. Estimates of repeatability coefficient point to regularity in the repetition of agro-industrial characteristics allowing to identify genotypes with the highest longevity. The genotypes SP79-1011, RB863129, RB92579, RB813804, RB982559 e RB982613 presented best agroindustrial performance, and two evaluations based on TPH and TCH characters are enough to select superior genotypes with 90% predictability of their actual values.

Radiation-induced in vitro mutagenesis system for salt tolerance and other agronomic characters in sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)

Gamma ray-induced in vitro mutagenesis and selection for salt (NaCl) tolerance were investigated in sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.). Embryogenic callus cultures were irradiated (10 to 80Gy) and subjected to in vitro selection by exposure of irradiated callus to NaCl (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250mmolL−1). Increasing NaCl concentrations resulted in growth reduction and increased membrane damage. Salt-selected callus lines were characterized by the accumulation of proline, glycine betaine, and Na+ and K+ concentration. Higher accumulation of proline and glycine betaine was observed in NaCl stressed callus irradiated at 20Gy. Na+ concentration increased and K+ concentration decreased with increasing salt level. Irradiated callus showed 50–60% regeneration under NaCl stress, and in vitro-regenerated plants were acclimatized in the greenhouse, with 80–85% survival. A total of 138 irradiated and salt-selected selections were grown to maturity and their agronomic performance was evaluated under normal and saline conditions. Of these, 18 mutant clones were characterized for different agro-morphological characters and some of the mutant clones exhibited improved sugar yield with increased Brix%, number of millable canes, and yield. The result suggest that radiation-induced mutagenesis offers an effective way to enhance genetic variation in sugarcane.

Genetic Divergence in Sugarcane Genotypes

To assess genetic divergence of sugarcane germplasm, an experiment comprising 25 sugarcane genotypes was conducted at Sugar Crops Research Institute (SCRI), Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, in quadruple lattice design during 2008-09. Among the 14 parameters evaluated, majority exhibited significant differences while some showed nonsignificant mean squares. The initial correlation matrix revealed medium to high correlations. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that there were two principal components accounting for 88% of the total variation in the tested breeding material. The new components were named “Vigor”, and “Quality”. Principal Component Regression (PCR) indicated that these two accounted for 93.64% and 7.36% of variation in the yield, thus signifying the role of the “Vigor” Component. Cluster analysis using Ward’s method on the newly created variables using principal components revealed that there were 3 clusters at a linkage distance of 4.5. Cluster I and III had 11, and cluster II had 3 genotypes. Cluster I showed high mean values for Vigor Component while Cluster II for Quality Component and Cluster III showed genotypes with high mean yield. There was no correspondence of the clustering with the geographic location of the genotypes. It could be concluded from these analyses that there are two main components i.e. vigor, and quality accounting for Research Article American Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 3(1): 102-109, 2013 103 maximum variation in yield. The genotypes in cluster I and II could be utilized as source for future selection or hybridization program for the improvement of these characters in sugarcane.

Genetic Diversity and Selection Among Drought Tolerant Genotypes of Sugarcane Using Microsatellite Markers

The present study is an attempt to combine drought tolerance with yield and quality traits guided by molecular diversity estimates. Using thirty primers of sugarcane specific sequence tagged microsatellite markers, genetic diversity of 28 elite clones used in sugarcane improvement was estimated. Similarity indices among 378 possible cross combinations involving these parental clones estimated by Jaccard’s coefficient analysis showed that 85 combinations were more similar (SI ≥ 0.80), 45 combinations were diverse (SI ≤ 0.60) and the remaining 248 combinations exhibited intermediate diversity (SI values between 0.60 and 0.80), indicating the existence of moderate genetic divergence in the clones studied. Twenty-five out of 28 genotypes being drought tolerant, use of genetic diversity information in family selection for realizing higher yield and quality with drought tolerance was explored through progeny analysis of 14 crosses comprising of six genetically diverse, five with medium diversity and three less diverse crosses. Screening of 1,448 progenies from these crosses in first clonal trial under normal and drought conditions for juice quality quantified as Hand refractometer Brix, cane diameter and single cane weight at maturity and per cent reduction for these parameters due to drought led to 766 selections. Higher percentages of selection from genetically less similar crosses (SI below 0.80) and a significant negative correlation (−0.7976) between selection per cent of each cross and similarity index highlighted the usefulness of selecting more diverse combinations for the genetic improvement of sugarcane for combining drought tolerance with yield and quality characters in sugarcane.

Cane yield attributes and heritability of juice quality characters in sugarcane under moisture deficit conditions

Development of drought tolerant sugarcane varieties for cultivation in drought prone ecologies of the Nigeria savannas is prerequisite to attain self-sufficiency in sugar production in Nigeria. To this end, bi-parental progenies from four sugarcane crosses involving two drought tolerant and two moderately drought susceptible clones were assessed along with their parents for their drought tolerance capacity using three moisture regimes — well watered, moderate and prolonged drought stress respectively. Almost all the traits investigated in the genotypes remained unaffected by moderate drought stress except cane yield which was reduced by 2–35% in the parents and by 5% in one cross. Prolonged drought stress reduced cane yield by 6–21% in the parents and by 13–21% in the crosses. Differences for juice quality attributes (except refractometer brix and % fibre) were significant under prolonged drought stress. Both additive (δ2 A) and dominance (δ2D) genetic variance estimates differed significantly for juice quality attributes but estimates obtained for δ2D were larger in magnitude than δ2 A indicating the usefulness of specific crosses in breeding for drought tolerance. Progenies from drought tolerant parents exhibited positive heterosis over mid-parent values for stalk length and cane yield under moderate drought stress condition confirming the presence of non-additive gene action for these traits in the populations. Heterosis over the better parent were, however, negligible or negative for most of the characters.

Correlações canônicas de características agroindustriais em cana-deaçúcar

The analysis of canonical correlations measures the existence and the intensity of the association between two groups of variables or characters of importance. This study aimed to estimate the intensity in the association between the agronomic and industrial characters in sugarcane. The analysis of canonic correlations allowed to conclude that clones with bigger number of stalks per parcel, greater number of stalks per stool tend to provide an increase in the TCH production. Another conclusion was that shorter clones with larger diameter, greater number of stalks per stool and plants, are determinant in increasing TCH, brix and pol% characteristics.

Application of insecticide for termite control and its effect on yield contributing characters in sugarcane

Field experiments were conducted at three different locations of district Shahjahanpur, UP, India during 1995-96 and 1996-97 to determine the effects of insecticide treatments (applied for termite control) on yield contributing characters of sugarcane. It was evident from the results that sett treatment with 0.20% solution of Gaucho 70 WS, soil treatment with phorate 10 G 2.50 kg ai/ha, Chlorpyrifos 15 G 2.50 kg ai/ha and Chlorpyrifos 20 EC @ 1.00 kg ai/ha were the best in controlling the termite infestation and hence promoting the sugarcane yield contribution characters viz., number of shoots, millable canes, stalk height and diameter.

Genetic Variability and Heritability in Sugarcane

Thirty-two genotypes were evaluated in a replicated trial at Sugarcane Research Program, Jitpur, Bara, Nepal in 2000-2001 to estimate phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation, heritability and genetic advance for seven stalk characters in sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L). Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences between genotypes for all the characters studied. Genotypic variance was higher than environmental one for cane yield, millable cane number, single cane weight, stalk diameter and stalk length. A single cane weight, germination at 45 days after planting and millable cane number had high genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation. High heritability estimates were recorded for millable cane number, stalk diameter and single cane weight. Maximum genetic gain as percent of mean was observed for single cane weight and millable cane number.Key words: Genetic advance; Genetic variability; Heritability; SugarcaneDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/narj.v4i0.4870Nepal Agriculture Research Journal Vol. 4&5, 2001/2002Page: 56-59Uploaded date: 9 June, 2011

Relative effects of parents on some economic characters in sugarcane

Studies on the relative effects of parents on some economic characters in sugarcane have given indications of maternal influence in the progeny performance in certain crosses with regard to millable canes at harvest, height of stalks and brix per cent in juice, irrespective of the fact that pollen parent effect was positive or negative.