Indian Society of Genetics & Plant Breeding
Interspecific hybrid derivatives involving Saccharum
spontaneum, S. robustum and S. barberi were morphologically
characterized with twenty two qualitative and six
agronomic traits. Principal component analysis (PCA) of
qualitative traits revealed that first nine principal
components with eigen value > 1 accounted for a cumulative
variance of 62.40 %. The traits viz., ligule shape, auricle
type, internode shape and its alignment, cane thickness,
dewlap color, leaf blade width and curvature, leaf sheath
hairiness, bud cushion and bud groove were identified as
principal discriminatory characters which will be useful in
preliminary screening and identification of interspecific
hybrids. Cluster analysis of qualitative traits grouped
hybrids into seven clusters. Maximum inter cluster distance
was between cluster IV and VI followed by cluster I and III,
III and VII and between VI and VII. Metroglyph analysis of
agronomic traits categorized hybrids into ten groups.
Groups III, IV, V, VIII and X with highest mean index scores
were identified as genetically most distant. Thirty eight
superior interspecific hybrids with high index score for
agronomic traits (from metroglyph analysis) and wider inter
cluster distance were identified as prebreeding stocks and
utilized in further backcross programmes. BC1 progenies
of SBH 12-45 x Co 0303 and SRH 12-275 x Co 0240 were
significantly superior for single cane weight and brix %.
Elite recombinants from back crosses SSH 12-158 x Co
0209, SSH 12-409 x Co 09014 and SRH 12-119 x Co 94008
surpassed commercial check for cane yield and were on
par for quality.
Keywords: Sugarcane, morphology, principal component analysis, cluster analysis, metroglyph analysis
Year: 2017
Volume: 77
Issue: 4
Article DOI: 10.5958/0975-6906.2017.00070.0
Print ISSN: 0019-5200
Online ISSN: 0975-6906
E. Karpagam info_circle
S. Alarmelu info_circle
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